


Our Escape

by SarahJuniperBerry



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Anger, Angst, Blasphemy, Blood and Gore, Body Dysphoria, Character Death, Dark Magic, Demons, Dreams and Nightmares, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Face-Fucking, Fallen Angels, Flashbacks, Fluff and Smut, Forehead Kisses, Forehead Touching, Graphic Description of Corpses, Guilt, Hand Jobs, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I'm Going to Hell, M/M, Major Character Injury, Major Character Undeath, Making Out, Medical Procedures, Men Crying, Original Character Death(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sorry Not Sorry, Survival Horror, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Triggers, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:13:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 95,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28922661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahJuniperBerry/pseuds/SarahJuniperBerry
Summary: When Kuroba Chikage called Shinichi Kudo, he was to investigate the disappearances at the Kuroba's summer home, a castle that Toichi Kuroba had bought shortly after Chikage and he had married. The detective fully expected it to be a normal murder case. He expected someone to confine themselves to a small portion of the castle. To pick off the construction workers one by one. What he did not expect as he and the two remaining Kurobas arrived on the property, was three servants of the castle to welcome them upon arrival. To bow gracefully and welcome them with smiles on their faces. Over the next six days, tragedy would befall Shinichi. Unbelievable events would unfold that none of them could explain to the police. They couldn't speak of it to anyone besides close family. If even they would believe them. The one thing that Shinichi could be thankful for though, was the way it had brought the Magician and Detective together in a way that nothing else ever would.Please read all of the tags as they contain the trigger warnings for the entirety of the story. Thank you and enjoy!
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan & Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Comments: 10
Kudos: 36





	1. Day One, Part One: Only Human

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to all those that helped make this story the success that it is today! Thank you to those that are reading this today as KaiShin is not the biggest ship right now. If there are any inconsistencies that you notice that may need to be changed, please let me know, I’ve done my best to edit this old story and make it into something that I’m proud of. Please be respectful while leaving comments. Enjoy!

There was a curse amongst detectives; clinging like fire to the wood of a tree. Some experiencing recurring cases; those who tactfully avoided arrest. Others; the unfortunate luck of stumbling into a plethora of cases at once. Others yet, plagued with death at every twist and turn of life. One way or another, death was an occurrence in the homicide department of the police station.

Shinichi Kudo, a legal homicide detective at the young age of twenty, deemed himself a lucky man to have all of the above. At times this made others wonder why he had ever wanted to become a detective in the first place. There were so many months of sleepless nights where he feared for the lives of himself and others. People were dropping dead around every corner and when death piled up and all sense of reason seemed to have left humanity around Shinichi, it made him feel... oddly numb. It was as if he were the only one seeing the correct decisions to be made. Days spent in a fog, solving simple cases, and putting people behind bars was his duty now anyway.

Despite all of the difficulties he survived as a high school detective, he couldn't deny the satisfaction of putting criminals in cuffs as an actual homicide detective now as an adult. The metal fastening around a pair of wrists was like music to his ears. He took sheer enjoyment in taking apart a case and putting the pieces together, only to uncover the truth to save others. He memorized the look on their faces as shocking facts were laid before them. Evidence that no one had even considered, yet had all witnessed in one way or another. The most notable perk of working homicide, that he loved almost as much as solving a case, was knowing that people depended on him. They wanted to know that, with his judgment, they would be safe. He lived to reassure people of his ability to solve any riddle put before him. Sure, the fame was nice and the fan mail was flattering, that had become embarrassing as time passed. He loved putting criminals behind bars even more: knowing that other people could sleep well at night.

At one point early in his career, he used to enjoy fame, though that was more before he became Conan. He had been a stuck-up teenager who lived for Sherlock Holmes and who only really cared about figuring out the puzzle before opening fan mail from all the ladies after school. He had enjoyed the rush of knowing everyone was at a loss without him. He was an adult now. Once the Black Organization had arrived it wasn't about the cameras and publicity anymore. There were only cases where he spoke into a microphone from his bowtie as he worried about anyone seeing him. It was a constant uneasiness. Knowing that being seen by the wrong people could have left him, and everyone he loved, dead. The experience had left him as the humble young adult that Shinichi was now. Ending the final teen stage of nineteen, the once shrunken child had been completely restored to his native body on his twentieth birthday. 

Since returning as Shinichi Kudo, he had kept himself out of the papers and away from the news. The cases that he took weren't newsworthy, nor were they murder cases. When murders did happen around him he would call in anonymously to the police department and be on his way after giving his statement to the detective Takagi or the chief of police in the area he was visiting. When he wasn't solving cases, he remained in his mansion reading, absorbing information, training his brain. His college and his work at the police station were the only reason he currently left the Kudo mansion regularly and then it was only usually to test out his theories in the chemistry lab or to tend to his library books that needed to be checked in or out. Work from the Homicide Police Department (HPD) could be sent to his computer through photo evidence. There were few cases in which he needed to leave the house, though those instances were becoming more frequent. When he had first gotten his body back, the only times that he went out for long periods had to be special; buying food so he didn't starve, and trying to catch Kaito KID would be two of the main reasons. Of course, hunting down Kaito KID wasn't a very good reason according to Haibara, but Shinichi needed to do some sort of puzzle game to exercise his brain while he worked to take down the Black Organization towards the end of the entire operation. So, Shinichi would wait for those once a month heists with itching anticipation, hoping that he would be able to sneak past Haibara long enough to play cat and mouse with the alluring thief. Hunting KID had become just as much of an obsession as it was when he had been Conan. He kept himself to the shadows and made sure that he kept things short and to the point when he confronted the thief even now. It was a decent challenge and he was satisfied when he got the gem back at the end of it all. It had taken a long time to admit that to himself, but after all that KID had shown him, there was no reason to think he was a criminal. He just made it seem that way.

"Haibara." The detective's voice echoed throughout the living room of Agasa's house. His tone was authoritative and a bit lower than before he had changed into Conan. Having his twentieth birthday a few months ago was also a contributor. Ai entered from the basement where most of her tests were done and wrote something down on her clipboard. The pen ran across the paper quickly and in chicken scratch, Shinichi was sure.

"Already tired Kudo? It's a shame, you lasted longer the last time we did this." She spoke as she continued walking over to the detective who was lying on the couch with silicone gel pads spread evenly over muscles across his entire frame. The pads were hooked up to electrodes, which were connected to an electronic muscle stimulator.

"No," Shinichi, though he had successfully beaten puberty and no longer had a cracking voice, was still winded, even as he lay on the professor’s couch. He wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit worn out from the procedure. "...but I have a meeting at eleven and I can't be-" Shinichi was cut off as the electrodes were activated and sent a surge of electricity through his stomach, chest, legs, arms, and back in a large crescendo. Holding his breath; his back arched off the couch and toes curled into the upholstery. It was barely noticeable, but Haibara had known him long enough to tell when he was uncomfortable. The procedure did, after all, feel like heat under your skin which made the muscles contract. The sound of the pen bounced around the walls as Haibara wrote something down and only stopped when Shinichi relaxed onto the couch again; breathing unevenly and trying to collect himself. "...late." He finished and Haibara looked from him to her notes a few times before shutting off the machine sitting next to him.

"Fine," She said in her usual casual uncaring tone. "But remember what we agreed on." She warned, tone turning icy as she began to take the pads off of him. Shinichi put his hands behind his head and leaned against the couch before he nodded to the grade-schooler.

"Stick to the investigation. You told me since I made the plans." He explained and Haibara nodded.

"Exactly. If someone drops dead in front of you, keep walking." She said and Shinichi scoffed but stayed quiet.

That wasn't exactly what he did, or what he felt comfortable doing, but he already knew that. With the Black Organization still out on the loose, any involvement in a public case could be life or death for him and the people he knew. He wasn't so stupid as to get himself killed.

Shinichi stood up from the couch, nearly falling to the ground when his legs almost gave out. Haibara gave him a weary look as she wrapped up the machine.

"Are you sure you're in good enough condition to be going out?" She inquired as Shinichi dragged his sweatpants over his boxers and knotted them around his waist with the string. The detective looked at her and stretched his legs.

"We do this every week. I'll be fine." His tone was calm, rational as he bent over to retrieve his shirt. His spine protruded from under his skin; visible when he did this and he looked fairly malnourished from where Haibara was standing, but she just couldn't talk the poor man into eating more than a ten thousand calorie diet. The electroshock therapy was supposed to help his depleted muscles and make sure that he could get through the day without getting too overworked. So far Haibara could tell it was working, but if he didn't start eating right, then no matter how hard they worked, his muscles wouldn't get any better. Musculoskeletal Degeneration would be next. "I'll be back after dinner." Shinichi said, making his way to the door after he had thrown his sweatshirt on. Haibara hummed in agreement before turning and making her way to the basement door. Shinichi smiled at the still small adult and made his way outside. He ran his hand through his sweaty hair and shoved his other hand in his sweatshirt pocket. 

It was fairly bright out for the morning, but it was more often like this in the winter. The air was still and crisp, but the sun warmed his face. Shinichi very much liked the warm mornings when he could walk around and not be freezing his tail off. So with a deep breath and hands in his pockets, Shinichi walked back to his house next door and said goodbye to the biting chill and bright sun as he entered the dimly lit mansion, yet warm mansion. His sweatshirt was removed at the door and hung on the coat rack next to his heavier coat for when he wasn't exercising. Ran was waiting for him in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand. He smiled at her and took the coffee with a thankful nod. 

"How did your session with Agasa go?" She asked as Shinichi took a sip of his coffee. The steam coming from the cup made his mouth water. No matter how starved he was, there was always time for coffee. He sat down at the bar next to her and put his mug down, holding it with both hands.

"As well as it usually does." The words fell from his lips in an easy tone as he shrugged, sipped his coffee, then continued. "It should have been longer, but I have a meeting with that client who wants me to investigate their summer house." He elaborated before bringing the mug to his lips and taking another sip. The bitterness coated his tongue and warmth relaxed him after such an exhausting morning. Ran got up from her chair and made her way around the bar. "I'll get breakfast on the way there," Shinichi explained as he saw her opening the fridge. Ran turned to him with a serious motherly expression that he often saw as Conan. Shinichi leaned away from her with unease clear on his face. 

"No, you won't. I know you, Shinichi Kudo. I'm going to cook you something before you leave." She demanded and reached into the fridge for the ingredients. "You don't eat enough and your weight is suffering because of it." Things were quiet for a moment as she cast her eyes to the floor. The pause made Shinichi's chest ache. "I know that you can't eat much at one time because of what happened, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't at least eat something to keep your current body weight." She spoke softly as she prepared her surroundings to cook. Shinichi sighed and leaned his chin on his hand as he tried to settle his thoughts. The detective knew he probably should have told her the truth. For now, as long as the Black Organization was still wandering around, this lie would have to do.  
It had been nearly another year before he had returned as Shinichi and when he returned to his teenage body the lack of nutrition from the sudden metabolic change had left his muscles as they were when he was an eight-year-old, despite the shoe stimulator that Agasa had given him for kicking his soccer ball. Because of this, Shinichi couldn't return to the Kudo mansion as he had planned. Conan had returned to living with his parents in America, but Shinichi had been kept at Agasa's house to help him recover. His rehab was still ongoing, but he had to drop off the radar from everyone but the two doctors for five months. When he met with Ran again she was stunned silent when she saw he was forced to use a walking stick so he would be able to walk places with her. The girl had questioned him thoroughly about why he looked so starved. Shinichi had to make up a story about how he was kidnapped for months and only fed once every few days. It seemed fairly convincing at the time, but now he just felt horrible when she brought it up. She was hurting because he was put through a hell that didn't happen, but he couldn't tell her the truth yet. So, he was forced to deal with her comments and her force-feeding.

It's not that he didn't want to eat, it was just hard because he got sick if he ate too much. His body wasn't used to eating adult meals and sadly, getting sick happened all too easily in his current condition. When Ran had finished making him food he began eating right away after a glance at the clock on his phone. He had an hour to get ready which didn't leave him with very much time to shower.

"Agasa told me that you should be able to play soccer again soon." Ran explained as he chewed a mouth full of rice. "Isn't that great?" She quipped and clapped her hands together. Shinichi smiled at her habit of motherly reassurance and nodded. He hadn't been able to play soccer at all since he had returned to his body.

Halfway through his meal, Shinichi had to sit back and take a breath. He was starting to feel a little sick again and Ran seemed to notice. She picked up his plate and took it over to the counter next to the sink. "I'll pack this up for you so you can eat it on the way." She explained.

"Thanks, Ran," Shinichi said, putting a hand over his mouth as he let out a silent, but unsettling burp. His brows scrunched in irritation before he stood. "Excuse me. I'm gonna go get ready to leave." He huffed out and she waved goodbye with her back turned as she put the food in the leftover container.

Shinichi made his way down the hall and looked to the top of the staircase. He remembered not being able to climb these at one point, but now as he stepped forward, he climbed them easily. Well, as easily as one could have with an eating disorder. The feeling of panic echoed emptily inside him like a memory. A memory of not being able to climb the stairs. Of collapsing and falling halfway up. Of nearly breaking his neck. He was a tad winded when he reached the top, unsure if it was because of the effort or the flashback but thinking it may have been both.

His shower was warm and left him refreshed when he got dressed for the day. He chose to wear casual clothing since he was meeting someone he had already met before. Sure they weren't exactly friends, but they were at least acquaintances. His school uniform wasn't extremely comfortable anymore either considering he had to wear a belt with it that dug into his hips. So, as he pulled on a freshly laundered pair of jeans, cursing himself for forgetting his belt over at the professor's house as he slipped his white belt through the loops on the material at his waist. He tossed on a black sweater, the turtleneck covering his mouth until he pulled the neck of it down. Tucking in his sweater haphazardly and brushing his hair, he sat down on his bed. He slipped on his socks and made his way out into the hall again right as he heard Ran's voice calling him from downstairs.

"Shinichi?" Ran called a second time. He had begun his descent on the stairs carefully. Socks on hardwood made it difficult, but it wasn't something he couldn't do.

"Yeah?" He answered while making his way down. Ran was standing by the door with her jacket on and Shinichi's food in hand. His jacket was hanging on the coat rack next to her. 

"I'm heading out. Did you want to walk to the train station with me?" She asked. "I'm meeting Sonoko at the mall." She explained. Shinichi nodded as he walked towards her and grabbed his jacket from the rack. It was cold out. The wind made the air sting against his cheek when the door opened, but it wasn't cold enough for snow quite yet. In Beika at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ran trying to get Shinichi to eat like ( •∇•)╦̵̵̿╤──(˘̩̩̩̩̩̩︿˘̩̩̩̩̩̩✿)


	2. Day One, Part Two: Sleight Of Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this far it is only my responsibility to remind you to read the tags as they explain all the triggers for this story. If you're under the age of 18 I recommend leaving now as this story gets a lot worse from here on. There are a lot of things that impressionable young minds may find okay now but may see the negative effects later on. I'm not talking about the sexual themes either.

"The kids came over again yesterday." The kendo champion explained sadly. Shinichi tried to look disconcert at this. He understood their concern for Conan, but they needed to understand that he wasn't coming back.

"What did they want?" He asked as they turned the corner out of the mansion gates. He felt a muscle in his leg twitch. He ignored it.

"To see if Conan had visited," Ran muttered. Shinichi could tell she was pretty beat up about Conan leaving. The children were just making that feeling worse, but no matter how many times Conan called to tell them to stop they just kept showing up. He probably shouldn't call them anymore. That was probably why they kept going to the detective agency.

"Have you told them that he's not coming back?" He asked offhandedly. Conan had told them this a few times, but they didn't seem to believe him. Ran nodded solemnly. Shinichi sighed, not sure what else to say. You can only say so many things to kids. Even these kids.

Ran and Shinichi talked for a while longer before they reached the station. They caught up on different things. How they had been doing in university and what foods they should be eating more of. If he had been doing well since she got engaged. The last one had him clearing his throat and looking anywhere but at her. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with it, it was that she thought he had a problem with it. Now, as Shinichi waved goodbye to his childhood friend before turning and making his way to his train, he wished he had waited before confessing his love. It wasn't that he didn't love her. He did, just not like a soulmate. He would risk his life for her… But also for anyone else in trouble as well. No. It wasn’t that he didn’t love her. It was that she had moved on. Courtesy of Sonoko and Aoko. By reminding her of every little wrong thing he had done. His lack of support despite him protecting her. But there was another Holmes geek that would care for her. Granted he was more annoying than him but reliable and very protective. And so far, Hakuba had done a better job at keeping her out of danger than he had.

He ate the rest of his breakfast on the train, making sure to pack it all back up before he arrived at the station. The trek to the address he was given wasn't long, but his legs were shaking by the time he’d arrived. He wished he hadn't been so bull-headed about getting rid of his cane. He knocked on the door and waited, taking a look around at his surroundings. A fairly large modern Japanese-style house, no garden in the front but there was a gate and a walkway with a small grassy front yard. They surely had a good amount of money from the state of the house, but it was shown a bit more humbly than the Kudos extravagant mansion. It had trees in the backyard and fairly recent siding. Shinichi observed more of the house before there was a crash from inside and some cursing followed by the door being wrenched open. Shinichi was surprised to see the man he had met a while ago, about his age looking back at him. What surprised him, even more, was the fact that the adult was covered in pink glitter and green glue.

"Are... You okay?" He asked as the boy just stared, shocked by the one standing in front of him that looked just like himself. When he didn't answer Shinichi leaned closer and gave him a befuddled look. "Hello?" He asked and the boy shook his head. Glue and glitter flew from the ends. Shinichi flinched back to avoid getting hit with glue.

The teen chortled, opening the door and stepping fully into view. Shinichi saw more glue and glitter as well as a poor dove stuck to his shoulder. "Sorry. Magic mishap." He explained gesturing to himself. Shinichi hummed and nodded, entering the building when the boy stepped out of the way.

"Kai, is the detective here?" Came a female voice from down the hall. The boy pulled some glue away from his face and glowered when it pulled at his hair. The dove on his shoulder made small chirping sounds as it flapped its remaining wing. 

"Yeah..." He grumbled rather loudly and retreated down the hall as he gently took hold of the bird. Shinichi took off his shoes and glanced around for the slippers, but after seeing none, he walked down the hall after his look-alike. The floor was warm under his socked feet and his brows rose in surprise. Heated floors.

"Good." The female voice said again, getting louder as he got closer to the room. He followed the lookalike- Kai, though he doubted he'd be calling the man that- into the sitting room. A woman with short brown hair and pretty violet amethyst eyes walked in holding a tray with a tea set on it. She set it on the table and smiled at him as she too sat down. Turning to Kaito, her tone didn't change. "Kai, go clean up while I inform the detective about what we're gonna do today." She said as Kaito picked slime off of his dove's feathers. Shinichi noted the casual accent to her voice but knew that it wasn't Kansaiben or any other accent from Japan that he knew of. "Now then," She said once the teen had left the room. "My name is Chikage Kuroba." She introduced herself. "Kai'll be down in a bit. Would ya like some tea?" She asked as she picked up the pot.

"Please," Shinichi insisted and sat down as she poured him some. "I'm sorry if this is a bit rude," Shinichi began as he got her attention. "...but where are you from?" He asked as he took the teacup from her. She grinned.

"I was born here, but I like to travel a lot, so I've picked up a weird accent. Does it bother you?" She asked, still grinning. He smiled a bit, shaking his head.

"No, I had noticed from the way your house is styled. It has an American setting, but a French interior mixed with Japanese structure. It's very unique." Shinichi explained. The woman's face was a mix of shock and fascination that Shinichi had often seen in people who expected nothing less from him.

"Impressive," She said and sat back in her chair with her tea. "But I'm sure you'd like to get to business." She said and took a sip of her tea. Shinichi nodded and did the same. "This visit is probably unnecessary, but we'd like to make sure we cover all the information we have. The place that we just bought as a summer home needs to be touched up and renovated, but the people that we send there have been disappearing. So far the only people who've been returning are the exterior workers." She explained, Shinichi nodded. "There haven't been any occurrences where the bodies have been found bloodied or beaten to death or I would have called the police, so I wanted to bring in you instead." She explained. Shinichi sipped his tea and sat it on the table before he leaned forward to lean his elbows on his knees.

"Has anyone been found?" He asked, referring to the missing people. She shook her head.

"No one has even reported them missing. The families I mean. It's like they never existed. Only me and Kai realized that anyone is missing." She explained. Shinichi's brows lowered in confusion.  
"That can't be possible." He offered. She met his confusion with an equally stumped frown. "Well, I'll see what I can do." He confessed. She nodded and sipped her tea again. The familiar face from earlier thumped down the stairs with an equally clean dove and Shinichi looked over just as he entered the room.

"Oh, Mr. Kudo, this is my son Kaito. Kai, this is Shinichi Kudo." She formerly introduced them. She stood with Shinichi as Kaito picked water out of his ear. He was fresh from the shower wearing faded black jeans which fit snugly around his legs. A white T-shirt fit loosely over his shoulders and stretched over his chest, with a grey clover in the center that faded away in a gradient design. There was a deep sky blue sweatshirt thrown on top for warmth inside the chilly house. Shinichi had time to glance down at his slim jeans before he offered a hand for Kaito to take. "You two look nearly the same!" Chikage Said cheerfully. Shinichi inspected Kaito briefly, noticing the mischievous spark in his eyes before his hand was gripped by Kaito's and there was a sudden puff of pink smoke. Surprised, Shinichi let go of the other man’s hand to take a step back. Chikage let out an unamused noise and there was shuffling before a window opened and the smoke slowly faded away. "Kaito, I've already told you not to do those types of tricks in the house, and certainly not to our guests!" She scolded.

Shinichi heard Kaito chortle before he looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing Kaito's clothing. Upon further inspection he saw that Kaito was wearing Shinichi's clothing and his hair was now almost exactly like Shinichi was wearing his. However, when he reached up to his hair he realized that Kaito had styled Shinichi's hair as Kaito's had been. The messiness of it mildly irritated Shinichi. How the magician could handle it being everywhere was probably due to the wild habits he also had. It took everything the detective had to ignore the feeling of his part being shifted. Right now he wanted to figure out how the boy had managed all of this without Shinichi feeling it. When the last of the smoke wafted from the room, Shinichi realized that his socks had also been changed. This young adult no older than himself- no, Shinichi was sure the other male was younger- had managed to not only get close enough to touch him but avoided all semblance of touch just so he could switch their clothes? He was about to ask how he had managed this without feeling anything himself when he suddenly felt himself grow warm. He swallowed, inhaled, and felt himself grow cold before his vision began to grow spots. It was then that the room turned at an odd angle and he had to focus on the feeling of his legs under him. He had to sit down.

"Woah," Kaito yelped suddenly as he saw the detective's expression gloss over. "I didn't know you were gonna pass out on me or I would've just stuck to a hand buzzer," Kaito confessed as Shinichi stumbled back into his chair. The magician wasn't sure if he should reach out to help or not. Hand lifted in thought, Kaito watched as Shinichi melted down into the chair. Admittedly it wasn't because of Kaito's trick. It was because he hadn't eaten the specially made food that Haibara usually made him that morning when he had the electrotherapy so his blood sugar was low. Shinichi shook his head.  
"Sorry," Shinichi breathed in a low tone as he placed a hand on his face. "...it's not because of you..." He explained as he ran a hand through his already messy hair. He nearly missed the concerned look that ghosted over Kaito's face. His hand had been running down his own. The expression seemed odd, but right now he was more worried about his blood sugar. "I'm fine. Don't worry." He said more to himself than to his clients. Carefully, he stood up again and reached into his back pocket to pull out a small candy. He was about to unwrap it when Kaito offered him a different piece of candy in a brown wrapper. He was about to refuse it, assuming it to be chocolate when he saw the small cup with 's' lines of steam on it. Coffee? Blinking in surprise, Shinichi glanced up at Kaito in question but took the candy anyway. Unwrapping the brown candy instead, he popped it in his mouth. It only took a moment before the bitter yet sweet taste touched his tongue and his eyes widened. 'This is good,' Shinichi thought before he sat back down. Kaito grinned before showing Shinichi a large bag of them. Since candy wasn't on the list of things he enjoyed eating he never carried any on him before, but it was the quickest way to raise his blood sugar level without sitting down to eat another meal. Kaito didn't look as concerned as before and was looking at the clothes he was wearing. Firm-fitting to his figure and made him look like Shinichi used to at his best. 

"You sure are skinny." Kaito spoke in awe as his jeans began to slide down Shinichi's waist and Shinichi let out a huff, hiking them up and tightening the belt that Kaito had neglected to fully tighten. A twinge of envy throbbed in Shinichi's heart and he shooed it away. Such useless thoughts. Kaito's mother walked up behind Shinichi with a smile.

"I'm sorry about that. Kai likes to show off his magic to everyone he meets." Chikage confessed and Shinichi shook his head trying to replace the respectful smile that he had adopted as Conan. It wasn't like this was their first meeting. Not that Kaito's mother knew that though. Kaito grinned and made a gesture with his hand and Shinichi watched as a rose popped out of 'nowhere'.

"I'm gonna be a famous magician one day!" He beamed as he offered Shinichi the rose. Shinichi seemed surprised at this but didn't let it bother him too much as he gingerly took the flower. Kaito gave a mischievous grin. "Even better than Kaitou KID!" He said and waved his arms causing all of his hidden pigeons to escape out of Shinichi's clothing.

The detective wondered how it was possible to change their clothes, hair, and contents of one's pockets all in a minute. Kaito was a good magician, but KID had years of training up his sleeve. Shinichi doubted this teen could be so good at magic. He wasn't given more time to think about it though. They had to get a move on if they were going to make it back before dinner. He didn't want Haibara yelling at him again.

Kaito's mother made a small whistling sound and all of the pigeons came flying back to her. She pet one dove on the head before she turned her attention to Kaito.

"Why don't you put your birds away and then we'll leave?" She asked. Kaito pouted and placed the rose he had conjured up earlier in Shinichi's hand before making the same whistling noise. The birds flew over to their master happily and made little cooing sounds while Kaito walked across the room.

Shinichi inspected the rose in his hand as Kaito left the room. It was red with a long stem and didn't have any thorns. Shinichi was so fascinated with it that he didn't see the worried look Chikage gave him.  
"Are you sure you're alright Mr. Kudo?" She asked and Shinichi looked over at her. He nodded.

"Yes, I just had low blood sugar." He spoke around the hard candy in his mouth. "It happens every once in a while." He spoke and she nodded in understanding.

Kaito came back into the room minutes later wearing his clothes again with his wild hair back to normal. He handed Shinichi his clothing and Shinichi nodded gratefully. Before he could even ask where the bathroom was there was another explosion of smoke and his mother let out an angry sound.

"Kaito!" She said and the magician let out a cackle.

"It's faster this way!" He exclaimed, his voice sounding like it was in Shinichi's ear.

Shinichi jumped a bit at the sound of his voice so close. It wasn't that he didn't mind the other being close in proximity, it was how close he was without his knowledge. Now that he was paying close attention, Shinichi could feel the ghost of a hand on his wrist. The feeling made him shiver and want to reach out to grab that hand, but he refrained. Instead, he waited until the smoke was cleared away so that he could look at himself again. With a sigh of relief, he ran a hand over his shirt.

"Alright, shall we get going?" Shinichi asked, ignoring Kaito's smug grin. Chikage nodded as they made their way to the front door. Kaito threw a heavy coat over his hoodie, pulling the hood out and tucking it into the second. Shinichi wondered briefly if the layers were because he was colder than most, or if he was hiding more magic tricks underneath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chikage this entire chapter with her son: (－‸ლ)


	3. Day One, Part Three: Castle Of Eden

Kudou Shinichi wouldn't say he was full of himself anymore, not since returning to his original body permanently. He still thought of himself as the great detective of the West, but he no longer pushed it in other people's faces. One thing he did do was pride himself on his patience and knowing what to do in emergencies. He had only lost his patience on very few and far between situations. Today, Kuroba Kaito was testing how far he could push Shinichi's patience on a whole new level. During the entire car ride to the Kurobas' summer home, Kaito chose to perform magic for the two while they sat in the backseat. It was just little things. He didn't want to cause an accident while his mother drove them, but even the little things could be a nuisance to Mrs. Chikage. He would bring doves out of nowhere and watch them crawl up onto his head before rolling down his arm suddenly becoming a tennis ball after a small puff of smoke. Shinichi had to roll the window down in a panic. Other tricks were performed which Shinichi didn't mind. Card tricks which turned to a rose with the flick of a wrist. The cards changed color and the rose became clear. He kept his mind busy with trying to figure out how Kaito had completed these tricks. However, when Kaito realized that Shinichi was anything but entertained he began pulling tricks out of Shinichi and the detective didn't enjoy that much at all. He couldn't understand how silk scarves were being pulled from his coat, or how a rose was suddenly in the sack that he kept his bento in. The magician was being incredibly persistent in getting Shinichi to cooperate with him. Even going so far as to ask for a volunteer in the audience, which made Chikage burst into laughter. It had made him smile at first, but after the fourth hour of his endless magic, Shinichi just wanted to take a long nap. Haibara had told him not to push himself. What would she tell her if Kaito ended up pushing Shinichi too far? So he acted faint again and politely declined any more attention before he leaned his head against the headrest to take a short nap. When they finally ended up at the estate Shinichi was surprised, to say the least. Waking up with Kaito wiggling a feather under his nose, Shinichi sneezed, swatting Kaito's hand away before he sat up to gape in awe.

"I thought you said this was a house!" He nearly yelled when the gate opened in front of the car. Chikage hummed, looking at Shinichi through the rearview mirror.

"Did I?" She chirped finally with that familiar empty innocent happiness that reminded Shinichi of a certain someone who was sitting next to him. "Well, it's our home. We'll be staying here every summer!" She said in a singsong way while pulling through the acres of their front lawn. The castle was something between the size of a large mansion and a small castle. It was a sleek stone with ivy growing in all the right places. The main building was three levels and off of that branched two covered walkways that were supported by beautiful regal pillars on either side. Connected to those were two cylindrical buildings that had three floors. All three floors had walkways with pillars. As they parked Shinichi looked through the walkways into the courtyard that had Japanese style foliage with what looked to be a koi pond donning a red bridge.

"Yes, but I'm not sure if we'll be able to investigate an entire castle in a single day." Shinichi pointed out. Haibara told him to be home by sunset. If he wasn't she would worry her tail off, if not call the police to have them search for the detective.

"Oh, we'll drive you home at sunset and pick you up tomorrow." She explained, still pulling up to the front of the castle.

Shinichi hadn't even realized there was a castle this size in Japan. He had seen plenty of shrines, but this was something from warlord stories.

"Do you mind if I ask how you bought this?" Shinichi asked, honestly curious. Chikage finally made her decision on where to park and pulled up to the castle doors and looked around at the finely cut grass.  
"I'm a world-renowned magician just like Kaito's father was." She paused, giving a moment of silence to her husband before continuing. "I have extra money just lying around from all my shows. The house we live in now is small, and was completely paid off by Toichi when we first moved in." She explained. "I haven't had to pay anything like a mortgage on it since we got it." She quipped while throwing the driver’s door open and hopping out. Shinichi could understand where Kaito got his energy from now as Chikage spun around and made noises of amazement. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the updates that had been made to her property. She waved her arms excitedly and made happy cheers.

"This place is looking so amazing!" He heard Kaito chime in. "There's plenty of room for me to practice my magic now!" He said cheerily as he looked at the perfectly tended to yard. Before anyone could make any comments, Kaito had released his doves in a huge puff of smoke. They took flight, spreading their wings after being stuck in the car for so many hours. Chikage let out an amused laugh as she saw the birds fly above, not realizing that her son had brought them on the trip. After a moment, the doves let off upset cooing and didn't want to land. That seemed off to Shinichi, but not more than Kaito. They both looked around; alert. The outside of the building looked tended to but the castle itself looked like it had been neglected with all the dead ivy hanging from some parts of it. Others looked freshly pressure washed. Half-done work? Interesting…

"Do they take care of the grass here?" Shinichi asked. Chikage paused in her gawking to look out at the land. Kaito had just managed to get his last dove back into his clothes when Chikage spoke up.  
"I don't think so," Chikage confessed crossing her arms. "I mean, we don't pay for house and landscaping anymore. Once they stopped cleaning the castle walls..." She grew a tad solemn then. "Everyone is afraid to come here now." She had barely finished when there was a rustle behind her. They turned, Shinichi more sharply than the others, to see an old man and two younger females walking through the front door.

Shinichi immediately took note of all three's smiling appearances. From the left, he saw a petite woman about two heads shorter than Shinichi, who was looking at them with a pouty-lipped smile. She had curly golden-brown locks that were tied up in a ribbon, which shone in the light when the wind caressed it, that stopped just below her shoulders. Bright caramel eyes poked out from under the bangs that feathered over her forehead followed by sweet rosy cheeks. Despite her highly feminine features, she was donned in a pair of overalls and had a bit of dirt on her chin. Dirty gloves covered her hands, which held a hammer gingerly inside them. Shinichi briefly noted she was wearing work boots for construction before moving onto the man in the center. This man was extremely elderly but didn't seem to show it in his mannerisms. He was bowing low to them; back straight, with a smile. Figure donned with a black suit and tie with a white button-down underneath. Brightly glossed shoes were standing neatly underneath ironed black dress pants. A monocle was sitting squeezed between his cheek and his eyebrow, holding it in place. There was a silver clover dangling from the end of the chain on the monocle. Shinichi's eyes lingered on that, remembering Kaito KID briefly before his eyes continued. Greying blond hair sprinkled over blue eyes and wrinkles alike. Shinichi's gaze shifted over to the last girl standing in a maid outfit, taller than the first girl but shorter than the man. Pretty white leggings hid underneath a black dress with a white apron neatly tied around her waist and behind her back. Her kind smile reached her glimmering green eyes which were framed by her bright ginger hair and the freckled dusting the bridge of her nose and cheeks. Mary Jane shoes adorned her feet and a maid’s bonnet sat atop her long straight hair.

"Welcome home Mrs. Kuroba." They spoke and Chikage seemed a bit nervous after hearing them speak. Their tones were sincere enough but oddly lacked warmth. As if they were too sincere. She would have to keep an eye on them.

"I'm sorry, do I know you three?" She said, not a hint of nervousness in her tone, ever the one to keep a poker face. Shinichi took note of the odd exchange before the old man spoke. His voice was grimy but strong like the rest of him. 

"We are the property keepers here. We have been caring for this place since we were born." He rasped, fixing his monocle that covered his right eye with the glare of the afternoon sun. "We had wanted to welcome you ages ago when you first purchased this estate, but we were busy tending to the home." He said with a formality that Shinichi only heard from his age group. Chikage immediately bowed, realizing that they were of no harm to them.

"Well, it's certainly nice to know that someone's been takin' care of the place." She said, her loose Japanese contrasting greatly with the older man's voice. Shinichi had to remind himself that it wasn't Kansaiben coming from the woman's mouth. It sounded similar to the way Heiji spoke, but not the same. "Hope the workers that I've sent haven't been gettin' in your way." She apologized. The three housekeepers gave polite chuckles before the shorter woman spoke, dark hair shimmering as she flicked it out of her eyes.

"No, you're alright. We work around others. Living in a castle has taught us to stay out of everyone's way." Her voice was high and airy as if she sang for a living instead of doing housekeeping. Both Kuroba's seemed as surprised as Shinichi was by her voice.

"Well, it's sure nice t'meet y'all. Ya know my name, but this is my son Kaito and our colleague Shinichi." She explained as formally as her speech would allow her. Both of the ladies curtsied and the man bowed. During this entire exchange, Shinichi didn’t let it slip his mind that these people were still alive, still here and not missing like all the others who had arrived before them.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." The man began in a very formal tone. "My name is Zadkiel." He said while gesturing to the lapel of his breast pocket. That same right hand gestured to the brunette to his right. "This is Haniel, she is our groundskeeper." He spoke slowly while she curtsied in her overalls. The behavior was foreign compared to her attire. Zadkiel gestured to the redhead on his other side. She kept her curtsy as she smiled at them. The air around her seemed mature and calm. "And this is Sariel. She is the maid." And as she curtsied, her fiery locks flowed around her in a halo of red. The two women stepped to the side and Zadkiel pushed the door in.

"Why don't you come inside where it’s a bit warmer?" He said in a calm tone. Yes, despite the long, warm car ride when they stepped out of their vehicles it was much colder at their current location than Beika had been. Or at the original Kuroba house. If these three folks knew anything about what had been happening, they were probably involved somehow, Shinichi knew it. So while fixing his posture and taking candy out of his pocket, the three stepped inside, hiding and reluctantly that they may have been feeling, Shinichi maybe a bit less so.

The inside of the building was odd. Shinichi had been in castles before. Ones that were both larger and smaller than the one that the Kurobas had purchased. All of them had been drafty, dated, and in one way or another, always in disrepair. He expected this castle to be cold and dusty as well, but instead, the stone walls outside that looked like they were at the beginning of disrepair, were only the exterior walls. Inside the foyer, there was painted drywall and a high ceiling with a chandelier hanging from the third-floor ceiling. The entire room was warm and everything shone brightly on the off-white solid granite floor. The windows to the outside were updated and sealed shut, most likely with weather sealant considering the contrast in temperatures from outside to inside. It was as if they were walking into a separate world.

“The workers must have gotten some of the renovations done.” He heard Chikage mutter as they walked through the main hall.

“I’m afraid you are incorrect, Mrs. Kuroba,” Sariel explained while tossing her fiery locks over her shoulder, her tone was calm and amused. “We haven’t had anyone come into the building. All of the workers have worked on the outer building, restoring the stone outside. All of this has been completed by Haniel.” She explained while smiling gently. Shinichi's brows furrowed in sudden realization as his thoughts came rushing in. He was about to comment on how there had to have been workers inside according to the workers Chikage talked to but reminded himself that they hadn't exactly said they had been working on the outside of the house only. The other two seemed to think the same thing, but Kaito still opened his mouth.

“Just the three of you did the entire castle?” He asked. It was a good question. Shinichi couldn’t see how they had managed to do the entire castle. Unless there was more staff than just the three of them. Zadkiel, the butler, opened the door on the left side of the room and cold air blasted them in the face.

“This is a unique castle lad.” The old man spoke as he stepped through the door. “All hallways are crafted as external parts of the castle.” He explained as they made their way down one of the halls. Instead of walls, some arches had two beaten stone paths leading to the outer yard and courtyard in the center of the castle. After some more inspection on Shinichi’s part and he realized that the castle was wrapped around in a pentagon with a garden in the center. Even in the cold air, the bushes were alive and colorful, though not flowering. There was even a large tree growing next to the pond that Shinichi hadn't seen before because the castle pillars had been hiding it. Before he could get a better look at it, they were in another room, a study. “Why don’t you all sit down? I’ll have Sariel make you some drinks.” He offered and Sariel, the maid, gave a quick curtsy before turning. Chikage, of course, brightened upon hearing about the kitchen. 

“Oh, please let me help. I’d like to get to know the kitchen as soon as possible!” Chikage said and Sariel, stopped suddenly to look back at Zadkiel and Haniel who was looking between one another in deep silent conversation. That worried Shinichi more than everything else, but as soon as the looks had appeared, they had vanished. All of them were smiling politely again. The detective had to remind himself that what he'd just seen had happened. 

“Oh, please," The old man insisted. "...go right ahead. You are the woman of the house now, do whatever you feel is the right thing.” The old man prompted. Chikage made an excited noise and followed after Sariel without a second thought. Shinichi and Kaito were left in the dimly lit room with the other woman and the butler who stood on either side of a couch. Both boys stood in the doorway, one looking around in interest while the other, Shinichi, stood looking at the two caregivers with mild interest.

“I hope you don’t mind, but Kaito and I would like to take a look around as well.” He said, not to be informal, but he was wasting daylight and at this rate, he was going to have to call Haibara and tell her that the detective would be back later than he planned. The two helpers simply bowed to them and Shinichi turned away to pull Kaito through the open door back into the cold. Kaito complained the entire way down the path to where they had entered the castle. They stood just inside the foyer, one confused, the other on edge. 

“Ow, Shin what was that for?” Kaito whined once they were back in the foyer. Shinichi let go of his arm, sending him a stare to silence the whining boy, and looked at the stairs.

“Shin?” Shinichi parroted as he realized what the magician had said and looked back at Kaito who was rubbing his arm. “Don't call me that.” He pressed seriously and Kaito grinned.

“Whatever you say… Shin-chan.” He said as if that was some sort of argument and Shinichi sighed just as the light went out. The room was sent into darkness, only light from the small windows coming through and shining on the floor. They both snapped to attention, looking up at the vaulted ceiling where the lights had been. The door where they had come through only moments before eased open and Shinichi took a few steps away as someone holding a lantern stepped through.

“Terribly sorry about this.” The old butler’s voice said as he came into view. Shinichi took a calming breath. “The power goes out a lot here. We’ve been trying to get the electrician to come to fix it, but he hasn’t seemed to come by. I'll go to the cellar now to flip the breaker.” He continued and Shinichi only nodded as the butler passed and disappeared through another door. Both teens looked at each other and smiled nervously.

“That was creepy,” Kaito said and Shinichi let out a nervous laugh as they both tried to calm their erratic hearts. Looking after, what Shinichi had assumed was, their butler as a shiver ghosted over him. Turning away and scanning the room he saw a set of stairs lying against the wall and brightened.

“Come on. I wanna check out at least two wings of the castle before we head back.” Shinichi said, turning towards the stairs. Kaito followed close behind as they started up the stairs silently. The occasional creek sent eerie echoes through the entirety of the foyer. Kaito felt another chill up his back. Though he had three layers on for the cold, there was still a distinct coldness to the air as they ascended to the fourth floor. There wasn’t a breeze either, just a cold spot. He looked up at Shinichi who didn’t seem to notice as Kaito rubbed his arm reflexively. Looking up, Kaito nearly fell back down the stairs at the loss of balance, but still looked up into the inky black that was the ceiling.

The ceiling was three stories high; only a story shorter than the entirety of the castle itself. What made him keep staring wasn't the ceiling itself. No, he couldn't see the ceiling. Only black. It was dark but the faint light that the windows emitted should reflect off of the marble floors and up onto the ceiling. He couldn't see the chandelier anymore either. 

"Kaito?" He jumped and looked over at the detective who was halfway up the stairs while he was still on the eleventh step. He glanced back up at the ceiling once more before hurrying up the stairs after him. "Are you okay? You seem kind of out of it." He asked. Kaito's poker face fell easily into place.

"Just peachy Shin.” Kaito chirped in a happy tone. To which he received a nonplussed expression. Kaito put his hands behind his head and squeezed his eyes shut in a grin. "It's nothing. Really." He finished before he ran ahead and stopped at the top. Shinichi met him moments later, quite a bit slower than the other young adult, and they headed to the first room. "Another study," Kaito said, staring in awe at the room.

Books lined the walls of the large room from ceiling to floor. Not one spot for knick-knacks like his mother loved to use as book holders. A fireplace in the center of one of them with a large ebony desk at the far end with a heavy ebony chair. The chair looked like it had been carved from the very wood it sat on as the floor was also ebony planks. A black Bears pelt lay on the floor. Kaito walked to the middle of the room and took a closer look at the bear.

"Cool. I wonder what kind of person lived here before us." Kaito mused petting the bear's head. Shinichi walked up next to him looking around.

"The same person that would have two-thirds before his library about black magic." He commented. Kaito turned to look at him in surprise. He was staring intently at one of the books on a shelf.  
"Black magic?" He swallowed and walked over to the same shelf inspecting the books. "Sounds like someone I know.” Kaito mused about Akako and her red magic as Shinichi pulled a book from the shelf and tossed it to him. With a surprised squeak, he caught it and stared at the cover. "This is..."

"Book of the dead spells. Voodoo and black magic then?." Shinichi plucked the book from his hands and put it back on the shelf. Kaito shivered at the sudden chill in the room and reached up to pull his coat around his shoulders. He touched his blue sweatshirt sleeves and looked over to his left to see the coat gone.

'I must've dropped it when I caught the book-' His thought was cut off when he noticed it hanging on the desk chair. "Hey Shin?" He asked, staring at the coat. Shinichi turned to him in question. "Did... did you put my coat on that chair?" He asked and watched Shinichi's expression grow very confused.

"No..." He admitted, standing next to the magician. Kaito gestured to it with his head.

"Um..." There was a sudden rumble like a growl coming from the fireplace. Kaito turned to look at it. The hearth was shaking slightly and the shadow was turning an inky black which seemed to twist and turn. He took a step back as Shinichi took a step in front of him. As if that would help them. He’d seen enough of Akako’s magic to know when to run in the opposite direction. The blackness began to take shape but kept its inky black color. “Shinichi… I think we should-“

"Stay back." Shinichi interrupted as Kaito’s back bumped against the bookcase. He kept looking at the figure that began to take form.

Black formed into long angular arms and legs, talons on every ligament but no hands. A head sprouted from its center; hunching over to resemble a goblin-like creature. With its talons just brushing the hearth, it slowly looked up. Its eyes, if Shinichi could call them that, were a bright red color, like fire. It had no hair to speak of, but it had pointed ears that curled at the end and when it was done a crimson tint covered its body. Its hide was covered with small barbs with a leather-like texture. It grinned at them with razor teeth that were just as black. When it opened its mouth to show its teeth, black liquid dripped from its mouth onto the bear rug which began to smoke and sizzle. 

"What the hell?" Kaito was too distracted by the demon in front of him to notice that Shinichi had just cursed. He gripped onto Shinichi’s shirt and continued to stare at it as it stared right back. They needed to get out of there. Fast. This was bad news. Kaito didn’t want to get eaten by a hell’s spawn.

"This is bad..." Kaito whispered. He thought Shinichi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes but Kaito was too preoccupied with the red being in front of them. "It's a demon..." He clarified. "Demons from hell’s gate, or whatever you believe in. Shinichi we need to get out of here. Now before-” He couldn't finish. This had been a terrible idea. No wonder people were disappearing. Shinichi scoffed and turned to it.

"This thing isn’t a demon. Demons don’t exist." His voice was sharp as the demon stepped forward. Kaito glanced up to see his eyes hard, but he was still an idiot. The demon was now advancing, slowly, foot by red foot. Kaito gave him a hard tug.

"They do Shinichi, we. Need. To leave. Now!" He yelled as it charged. Kaito let out a yelp of shock as Shinichi dove to the side with him. The demon hit the bookcase forcing it to fall. The shock of Kaito's impact had him shaken, but he still stumbled to his feet and didn’t look back. He tried to quickly pull Shinichi to his feet.

“That couldn’t have lived through getting a bookcase like that collapsed on it,” Shinichi argued as he was forced to his feet. Kaito grabbed him by both arms just as the bookcase rustled and he let out a curse before picking Shinichi up. He grabbed his coat and ran for the door. Slamming it closed with his foot he ran down the hall for the stairs.

Which way were the stairs? With all the adrenaline running through his veins on his heists, you’d think he’d be used to escaping, but all his thoughts were blurred; he suddenly realized. He couldn't remember the layout where they had walked to get to the study. Running past the stairs suddenly, he backtracked, ignoring a yelling and struggling Shinichi in favor of taking the stairs three at a time.  
There was a sudden laugh that echoed in the mansion. Kaito halted at the bottom of the stairs. The jerk of his sudden stop made Shinichi’s head spin. The laugh continued. It was crazed and high pitched. Shinichi wanted to cover his ears to block it out but knew the sound would break through his fleshy barrier. When it finally stopped he struggled out of Kaito’s hold.

"Well, well… it looks like we have more visitors." A girly voice said.

"Again?" A bored man’s tone came echoing through the foyer they stood in. It sighed. "Well then they have nine more days, don't they?" It made Kaito uneasy. Where was his mother? Where were those voices coming from? Why was it so cold all of a sudden? 

"Mm. But they'll end up dead anyway." The girls' voice chimed in as if this was the happiest conversation in the world. The word made both men tense even more.

"Dead?" Shinichi nearly snarled. The girl barked a laugh seeming to come from above them and their eyes were dragged above them. She continued laughing for a moment before responding.

"Why, we haven't introduced ourselves." She pointed out, sad suddenly. The male voice chuckled.

"How rude we have gotten over the years." The man's voice was suddenly close. Shinichi turned around, Kaito following the motion.

"Please forgive our rudeness." The man said. He was wearing a tuxedo from the 1800s with a top hat sat on his head. His hair was fairly long. It reached down to his chin in the front and at the nape of his neck in the back. It was a dark black color that did not reflect any light at all. His eyes glowed silver in the darkened room. 

"You see," They whizzed around nearly giving Kaito whiplash to look at the girl that stood there. Her 1800's dated gown flowed around her. Her elegant ruby red hair was wrapped in a silver cornet. “We are the inhabitants of this castle."

"You live here?" Kaito grumbled, confused and frustrated but trying his best not to show it. The girl chuckled, but it was the man who responded this time. 

"Yes." The man responded and Shinichi turned to see the man walk slowly over to the girl. They met halfway and the girl took his arm as he spoke. "My name is Azrael and this is Abaddon. We have been the owners of this castle for nearly two thousand years." He smiled graciously.

"Right," Shinichi said suddenly with an increasingly flat tone. "That's wonderful. Now, if you don't mind, I think my friend and I would like to leave." He explained grabbing Kaito’s arm and tugging on it. Abaddon laughed again. Her purple eyes glistened with malice.

"Oh, you can leave." Shinichi’s body tensed and he glared at them. "But only if you can last nine more days with our friends." She said. "You see we get fairly bored after 2000 years with nothing to do. So Azrael and I came up with a little game. We seal this castle with infinite darkness for ten days and see if you can live. Then after that. You're free to go. If you come back we'll allow you to come and go without a problem. Get it?" She winked and held up her pointer finger. "It's a game of trust." She said in a childish voice as she pointed at the two lookalikes with the hand that wasn't holding Azrael's arm. "If you're physically able to withstand that much you're able to deal with owning this castle." Shinichi's grip on Kaito tightened. Kaito winced internally but kept looking at the couple before them.

"And if we find a way out before the ten days are up?" Shinichi asked. Why did he feel the need to ask a stupid question like that right now? The girl laughed and just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

"We'll kill you." She said very seriously. She sounded infuriated. "But!" She said happily again. "That's impossible! The dark barrier surrounds the whole castle." She laughed. She clapped her hands. "Well you've only spent one day here and you have nine more to go! Good luck!" She said and then they were gone; vanishing out of thin air. Confused, Shinichi let out a frustrated sound and they began to walk to the door.

"What are you doing? She said there's no way we'll be able to leave." Kaito said, tugging his coat back on. Shinichi released Kaito’s arm and placed his hands on the magicians’ shoulders.

"Look. This is ridiculous, but I can’t just ignore what my eyes saw." He began, his voice serious. "I'm just testing a theory, okay. I have no idea what's going to happen so don't worry. I'm not going to leave you." He said and Kaito gave him an amused and exasperated expression but nodded. He knew more about this than Shinichi did. Why was he acting like the hero right now? Shinichi picked up the nearest object which was a coat rack and threw it at the door. Darkness enveloped it and it was gone. "And now we run," Kaito said and Shinichi looked at him confused as he heard a crash from upstairs.

"What-" Shinichi had no time to ask before Kaito caught his arm and they ran out of the hall and through a door to their right.

The previously snow-covered walkway of the outer castle was pitch black. The spaces in between the arches were covered in black ink. Not even the inner courtyard was visible to their left, unlike last time when it had been to the right. It made sense. They had gone through a door on the right this time.

"Why did they close off the courtyard?” Kaito asked but had no time for an answer as something slammed against the door to the outer hall. Shinichi grabbed his hand and off they ran, across the courtyard and through another door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's secretly Zadkiel's torture chamber. (◕◡◕❁) (This is a joke.)


	4. Day Two, Part One: Alice in Darkness

Kaito turned the corner in a graceful leap off the wall, pulling Shinichi along by the arm as they tried to avoid another demon. This one was fast like a majority of the others, small, and looked something like a young child. The little female, or what it looked like, was wearing a bow tied around blonde hair that reached to its mid-back in a braid and was wearing a dirty pale yellow dress that reached its knees. It honestly looked like a little girl from behind when they had come upon it. After losing the other demons in a game of chase, they had wandered the castle to find a safe place to stay. They had found her standing in the meeting hall of the south-western wings of the castle. She had been standing at the other side of the long table facing a fireplace that wasn't lit and warming her hands. Shinichi had wanted to make sure she was okay. They hadn't met any other people since they had started this stupid game and any people remaining he wanted to protect. No matter what Kaito told him as Kaito knew something was wrong after all, Shinichi still walked up and ended up being seen by the creature. They barely made it out of the room alive.

The demon's face was contorted; mouth askew to its cheek, its eyes above its brows, and the nose were upside down. Its pointed ears poked out from bloodied bangs, as they leaked blood. The demon was wailing as it raced after the two with a piercing cry that made their ears throb in pain. Shinichi was about to faint from the pressure of the sound when Kaito looked back to check on the detective again.

"Are you okay?" Kaito called back as he pulled his companion down the hall with blinding speed, nearly knocking Shinichi off of his feet as the still-recovering detective struggled to keep up.

"That thing looked like a little girl!" Shinichi yelled as he focused on running. Kaito could have grinned at the detectives’ lack of a third sense if they weren't in this situation.

"It's not! Keep running!" Kaito said as he turned another corner and crashed through a swinging door. The demon smashed through the door. Its claw-like hands tearing at anything in its path. They streaked past a clock and Kaito caught a passing glance that he saw as '12:05 AM'. So It was the next day. They only had nine days left. "We need to find the cellar," Kaito called behind her as they ran down a flight of stairs. Shinichi looked up at him with confused eyes. 

"Why the cellar?" He asked and Kaito jumped the last three stairs as the demon let out another piercing screech.

Shinichi was beginning to slow down. He wasn't used to this kind of exertion and Haibara had told him he shouldn't be running like this. But that didn't matter now. Not when he was caught in something worse than a murder case. They needed to get somewhere safe. He needed to rest, eat something, and for once in his recent adult life, he was hungry. He was so focused on putting one foot in front of the other that he missed what Kaito had just shouted out.

"What?" He called back. There was another piercing screech that cut Kaito off. The magician glared back at it, the expression foreign on his face before he tried again.

"The cellar has food. We need food to live." He said, turning another corner.

At that moment Shinichi tripped and went tumbling to the ground. His hand slipped from Kaito's tight grasp and in a twist of limbs, the demon caught him as they both slammed into the wall.

"Shinichi!" Kaito called out to him, immediately turning in his heel to speed over to where they had landed. Kaito repeating his name when there wasn't an answer right away, but the detective was distracted by the demons screeching while it tore the skin from his body.

There was so much pain. His arm that shielded his face was caught in the demon's attack. The abomination sunk its teeth into his arm. The wet sound of wet flesh as its teeth broke through the surface of his arm echoed through the hallway. Sharp teeth ground and pulled, intent on tearing his arm off. Shinichi let out a horrified and excruciating scream as it peeled the skin back from his arm. He felt the skin burst under yellowed, rotten teeth with a 'pop' and tear of his clothing. It felt like jelly under his shirt. Shinichi's fingers clawed at the girl's flesh, his nails digging into her cheek sickeningly and watching as the skin atop the fat peeled away like a wet plastic bag. His fingers sunk into her face as if he were clawing at wax that was partially hardened after burning. A wet slime held the skin dangling from her face as he let go to grab something else. He felt his stomach lurch at the rancid smell that filled his nose at that same time. His head spun, he couldn't stop his screams. His mind went blank as panic set in, the demon pulled the skin back further, nearly having skinned half his forearm. Shinichi felt tears prick his eyes as the thought of death flew into his mind. With one final gasp in, Shinichi watched as it let go of his arm, screeched again, and stopped very suddenly, collapsing into the ground. His mind was fuzzy with panic. Shinichi's body shivered with adrenaline as he scrambled to flip over and looked up in time to see Kaito shoot the demon repeatedly with something. A gun? Too bulky. The shape seemed familiar, but he hadn't the time to inspect it further before the jolt in his arm had him gritting his teeth in pain. His forehead pressed to the floor as he pressed his hand to the wound on his arm instinctively. It wasn't that bad really, he tried to convince himself. There was skin falling from his arm and blood pouring from the wound, but at least it was fixable. Hell, it was a lot better than dying. 

He heard Kaito call his name again and he slowly lifted his torso to find Kaito leaning over him. Concern filled Kaito's violet orbs, his forehead creased in worry. Poker face is completely forgotten about. A glance around the magician told the detective that the demon was dead. His body still shivered. 

"You killed it?" Shinichi rasped, panting, exhausted from the constant extreme movement for the last five hours. His hand holding his skin slid with his skin along with the muscle and he grit his teeth, silencing himself from screaming out as he moved it back. Kaito frowned, nodded, and prompted Shinichi to show his arm. Shinichi hesitated, not wanting to show the other man such a gruesome thing, but Kaito simply tugged the sleuth's elbow with a stern look that made the detective's usual adamant nature falter. He felt embarrassed about this entire situation. Normally he was the one protecting but now look at him. A blush overtook his face, but the feeling was immediately blown away as the pain won over. Kaito held his arm with gentle reassurance. The steadiness of his hands surprised the modern-day Holmes. The small girl had made quick work of his arm, peeling back the skin on his forearm with her teeth so far they could see exposed muscle and tendon underneath. The severity of the wound in such a short amount of time filled Kaito with bitter cold fear. The tear was gruesome and made his stomach churn with guilt. Not being able to protect the sleuth... He scrambled for something to wrap it up with as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He might be a few months short of twenty, but he could deal with things like this. He had to. He was, after all, Kaitou KID. Never forget your poker face Kuroba.

Kaito breathed in slowly. "This looks bad. If we don't disinfect, stitch, and wrap it, it will get infected before we get out of here." Kaito explained while skillfully fanning his hands over his pockets, taking inventory of his belongings. Shinichi thought it was odd, but everything seemed odd to him right now. His mind was foggy. He couldn't seem to remember what normal was. The detective needed to focus! His mind was beginning to clear from the shock of adrenaline, but the confusion was still there. Maybe a result of hitting the wall? The pain was an entirely different matter. He had battled pain worse than this. He had battled cold. It was more of a nuisance now that he wouldn't be able to use that arm. Especially in his current physical condition. Shinichi sighed shakily. 

"We can see if they have anything in the kitchen. Your mother should be there too." Shinichi said and Kaito frowned as he was reminded of his mother.

"Right, "Kaito muttered as he produced one of many colored scarves from his multitude of pockets and carefully put the skin back where it should've been before wrapping the scarf around the wound a few times and tying it off, the knot on top of the wound where the tear began. Shinichi choked on a gasp and groaned in pain at the pressure it caused but knew full well it was needed or he would die of blood loss. "Can you make it to the kitchen? We have to find a floor plan somehow." Kaito explained. "Running around like this isn't helping us." Shinichi nodded as he stood on shaky feet. Kaito helped him up, putting an arm underneath him to guide him to the next room. Shinichi realized quickly that he was now a liability. His footsteps were shaking now than when he had arrived earlier yesterday morning. Every time he blinked he had to reshift his focus onto the floor. His arm ached. He grit his teeth. 'Just get to the kitchen.' He thought as he tried to straighten his posture and take a deep breath.

As soon as they had gone through the first hallway earlier that night, the castle seemed to change. There no longer was a garden. Or, if there was, they couldn't get to it anymore. Instead, they were stuck with long hallways and endless empty octagonal rooms. They couldn't even find the foyer anymore. They hadn't yet made it to the second floor. After exiting the main foyer, they couldn't find any other stairs. Shinichi didn't look like he was in any condition to go anywhere far. Kaito knew at some point he was going to give himself away to being Kaitou KID. It was inevitable at that point. Real magic and magicians never mixed, but with Kaitou KID, real magic never seemed to leave. He had to fight magic with magic at this point. Although, he barely saw himself winning against real magic. Every time they killed a demon, there seemed to be a period where they could rest. Kaito wasn't sure how long that period lasted but twenty-five minutes seemed like a safe bet. So, without looking back at the dead creature, Kaito helped Shinichi limp into one of the empty rooms they had had yet to pass through, however, when he opened the door, the kitchen met him. Kaito's mother lay unconscious in a chair in the corner of the room.

"Mom!" Kaito yelled as he helped Shinichi sit up on the counter. Once Shinichi was stable he ran over to his mother and fell to his knees next to her. "Mom? Wake up it's Kaito, Mom!" He called and was startled backward when she suddenly lunged forward. When she finally realized who it was, she came to a halt, a knife she had been holding was mere centimeters from his face.

"Kaito!" She said and immediately dropped the knife to scoop him up in a hug. The knife clattered to the floor with a cold metallic sound. When it spun slightly, the handle hit Kaito's knee, bouncing away and spinning in the opposite direction. Shinichi leaned against the wall, watching it as his head began to pound. When Chikage went to hug the other magician, her hands and body went straight through and she stumbled to a standing position. They both gasped, looking at himself, then at her. Mild confusion crinkled his face before he paled and began to panic.

"Mom?" He choked out. There was a small feminine tone clearing their voice behind him and Shinichi shouted before Kaito jerked around, his card gun appearing from under his coat.

The woman who had cleared her throat was Haniel, the groundskeeper, though she wasn't wearing her previous outfit anymore. Her long hair was cascading down her back in whirlpools of golden brown. They settled on a beautiful Uchikake Kimono. The gown itself was as elegant as anything the two men had ever seen. It was a dark sapphire with a gold accent like a cloud and stream winding up the side. Elegant flowers and other greenery wound up that same golden path. The pattern was only broken for a moment by an extravagant golden sash folded neatly around her waist and knotted meticulously in the back. The bottom of the gown had a red trim sewed into the sapphire material. It flowed around her as she floated off the ground like an otherworldly being. Kaito took a moment from inspecting her to glare. 

"Damn it, what did you do to her?" He demanded, cocking the barrel of his gun. Haniel looked at him with a small smile causing her brown eyes to glisten. 

"Nothing. It seems like the two of black magic don't want her in the game." She explained and Kaito grit his teeth so hard he could taste blood.

"Did they… kill her?" He asked through his teeth. He had never been so mad. If they had… Haniel let out a fluttery laugh. It floated around the kitchen softly.

"No no, of course not. She's not in the game after all." The maid said looking behind Kaito to Chikage who was sitting up on the chair again. "They have kept her out of this realm. You were put here, where the light does not touch. She remains in the original castle, free from harm though she can see everything that goes on." Haniel explained. Kaito seemed to relax a bit but didn't lower his gun.  
"Who are you?" He asked instead, not recognizing her as the groundskeeper from before. Haniel looked down at herself and chuckled before looking at him skeptically.

"My name is Haniel. Did you think I was someone else?" She said as if it were obvious. Shinichi gave a weak chuckle from across the room and the two conversing turned to acknowledge him.  
"You're a demon too, right? Archangel Haniel is the angel of joy. Kind of ironic." He said weakly as his eyes closed and she smiled at him.

"Something like that." She said cryptically and moved barely an inch before an ace went whizzing past her head. It bounced off the stone wall, leaving a chip in the rock as it went. "Now now," She said, turning to Kaito who had put his card gun away. "Whatever was that for?" She asked. Kaito gave her a hard stare but kept the glare from his face.

"You know what." He said calmly. She chuckled again, the smile never leaving her face. Her teeth were an unearthly white color. 

"Do I look like I came here to eat you two?" She said and opened her arms slowly. She looked perfectly human. The only thing out of place was her levitation. "I'm here to help you, boys." She continued when Kaito said nothing. "The three of us: Zadkiel, Sariel, and I are here to protect the rightful owners of the castle. That would be you two and Mrs. Kuroba." She provided openly, without hesitation when Kaito's gaze hardened. Still, Kaito turned to his mother, who was watching intently, and looked up at her son while hiding the sadness behind a poker face of her own.

"I'm so sorry Kaito." She whispered before Kaito kneeled next to her again.

"Don't worry about us mom, just go find somewhere to rest. You can't leave either right?" To the question, she nodded. "Alright. We'll pick you up in nine days. We're going to get out of here." He urged when his mother was about to interrupt him and Shinichi let out a groan. 

"Kaito..." He panted slumping down on the table. Kaito turned, a startled look on his face that turned to horror when he saw how soaked the scarf was that he had given him. Shinichi's skin was paper white and shining with sweat. "Running out of time... The demons..." Was all the detective could manage, worrying about their surroundings even at a time like this. Kaito cursed at his stupidity and launched himself into the task of searching for the first aid kit.

"If you're looking to patch the wound, you should go to the infirmary," Haniel said in a high, calm voice and Kaito turned around, panic in his eyes. She continued before he could interrupt her. "It's not too far from here. Down the hall and back around the corner that you originally came from, there is a larger entryway to the infirmary." She said and Kaito glanced over at Shinichi, who couldn't even sit up at that point. The Brunette waved him off. "Go ahead. I'll watch him for you." She said. Her words weren't very reassuring, but he needed to get that kit. At least, something to see it back together with...  
So, with one agonized look at the detective, Kaito bolted out the door and made a break for the infirmary. As soon as he was out the door, another demon was at his heels. So much for their time-lapse. This one was the same as the first: Red, leathery hide, jagged teeth, and red beady eyes. Kaito aimed his gun and shot, but the demon just kept coming. Its hide deflected the card with ease, not even breaking its stride. Giving a dismayed whine, Kaito turned and focused all his attention on running.

Turning the corner, Kaito slid and pushed off the opposite wall to propel himself down the hall. The push nearly knocked him off his feet, but he managed to catch himself as he heard the monster smash into the wall behind him. These demons weren't good at turning he had found out. So, spotting a large doorway at the other end of the hall, he ran past the doorway and swung himself into the infirmary. It was fairly large, with gurneys lined up and medicine cabinets lines in between every two beds.

Running inside, Kaito had enough time to grab a medicine bag next to the door and sprint down the center of the room. He ran to the end, hoping that it would give him enough time to grab supplies before the monster came into the room. He threw the first door to a cabinet open and paled. Nothing was labeled. He didn't know what was what. So he started tucking vials, capped syringes, and gauze into the bag as quickly and carefully as he could. He had never thanked his ability for fast fingers more than now. Then he moved onto the drawers. That was when the monster barged through the door, breaking the door off at the hinges. He dumped surgical tape, three suture kits, syringes, and ace wraps into the bag before snapping it closed and hugging it to his chest so he could turn and make it out of the room. Shocked and with barely any time to react, he saw the demon barreling at inhuman speeds from across the room. Kaito dove, landing on his side and hearing the demon crash into the cabinet where he'd been standing. It crumbled under the immense weight and tiny frame of the demon. Getting up and still shocked by his impact with the ground, the magician ran. He nearly crashed into one of the gurneys before running out of the room. There had to be a way to kill this thing. Maybe one of the three demons helping them would know? No, he couldn't rely on a demon. Not even for something like this. He couldn't rely on something from Akako's world, but it was his world too. He wouldn't deny its existence, but he wouldn't rely on it for help. He would rely on his magic. Turning the corner, he heard the demon crash out of the room and nearly jumped out of his skin when he ran straight into the Butler, Zadkiel. He didn't have time to acknowledge his change in attire like Haniel before he veered around him and took the last few sprinting steps into the kitchen. When he entered, Haniel was leaning over Shinichi and wiping his forehead with a damp cloth.

"Shin..." He panted, utterly wiped from all the running that he had been doing. Hurrying over, he put the bag on the counter and looked at Haniel with panic in his eyes. "There's another demon outside. We have to get him somewhere safe." He pleaded, but when he looked at the female demon, she was frowning.

"We can't move him right now. We'll be fine here." She said and Kaito was about to argue when she turned to him. “That specific breed of demon can’t turn while running. It also can't stop without reaching the end of a hallway. You’ll be fine as long as you stay in a room that isn’t at the end of a hall or accessible to the demon.” She explained. Kaito wanted to scowl at her, tell her that he didn’t need her help, but he stopped himself. If she was really against them, if she wanted to hurt them, then she would have already. Hell, he had already left Shinichi with her once. He was still alive, so…

“Alright,” Kaito said and took out the supplies that he needed before hurrying over to Shinichi. “Shin, can you sit up for me?” He asked softly. Shinichi was in a poor state. He was incredibly pale, two shades lighter than he should have been and his eyes were lulling closed. Though he looked like he was on death's door, he nodded and propped himself up on his good arm before leaning back against the wall. It took a lot of effort. Kaito had to half hold him up while they fixed his body into a good position so he wouldn't fall over. With his head pressed firmly against the wall and a hand pressed to the counter, Shinichi did his best to keep himself steady. 

“Good. Okay. Let me see your arm.” Kaito said gently, taking the scarf from him as softly as possible. The material on Shinichi's coat and long sleeve were removed next. Shinichi let out a choked sound but didn’t pull away. The skin was still sliding off, bleeding less now, but still needed stitches. A bead of sweat rolled down from Shinichi's brow to his chin. The poor young adult's head slumped forward, catching the sweat drop on his lapel before it could fall. His head immediately shot back up and nearly slammed against the wall. Kaito's chest squeezed in panic. Gritting his teeth, Kaito pressed a new scarf on and grabbed the needle and some thread. Cutting and tying it off through the needle, he removed the sweatshirt again and dropped it on the floor.

“I need to clean it Shinichi, this is going to hurt.” He warned as he placed the needle on a sterile cloth and grabbed some distilled water from one of the cabinets. Pulling the top off, he grabbed another cloth from the bag and wet the rag with the water before wiping the blood away. More blood pooled over the wound and fell where he had cleaned and he cursed. “I’m sorry Shin, but this is going to hurt more than I thought.” He warned before grabbing Shinichi’s arm and pouring the water over it.

The blood washed away, but Shinichi cried out, his arm instinctively tugging his arm to get away from the pain. Kaito closed an eye, flinching in sympathy but holding onto his arm harder. After the blood washed away, he moved quickly. The magician pressed a thick sterilized cloth to Shinichi's arm hard, looking over at Haniel and Zadkiel who were speaking in quiet tones to one another.

"Do either of you know which of these is a local anesthetic?" He asked seriously, causing both of them to look over in surprise. Zadkiel, who had his arms crossed with a serious look of his own, smiled at him kindly at the question. 

"The clear one with the metal ring on top. You are supposed to extract it through the rubber seal in the center with a syringe." Zadkiel explained walking closer. "Sariel knows more about this than either of us, but she is busy at the moment helping your mother find accommodations." He explained. Kaito's eyes narrowed as he suddenly doubted if what the man said was true, but when Shinichi's arm jerked in pain, he sighed and swallowed, turning back to the clear vial.

"Shin-chan, can you hold this?" Kaito urged Shinichi to hold his arm firmly with his good hand and Shinichi did his best to press down on it. He wasn't losing blood anymore so he at least wasn't going to die, but the blood loss has left him anything but functioning. 

Kaito took that moment to quickly wash his hands and grab the syringe, extracting a bit of the liquid inside the vial before prompting Shinichi to release his hand. He peeled back the cloth, making sure that he didn't also peel back the flap of skin. Shinichi let out a ragged breathy moan of pain while Kaito injected it around the wound. The skin puffed up and Kaito took the liberty of throwing on some gloves while using forceps to pull back a small bit of skin to put it underneath as well. After all, was said and done, Shinichi was a little less in pain, a little more concerned about the process that Kaito was casually undergoing. 

Kaito put down the syringe and held Shinichi’s arm down before picking up the needle and thread again; a needle driver holding the needle away from his own hands. The first time the needle pierced the skin, Shinichi let out a choked sound. The second time he flinched. After the third, he didn’t have the energy to do anything but twitch his arm. He needed fifteen stitches. The whole time Kaito was stitching him up, Shinichi couldn’t help but notice how calm and collected Kaito was. He was stitching up his wound like he had done it ten times over. Like he was used to it. He closed each stitch off with four consecutive knots, settling them each to the right side of the wound before moving onto the next with such a calm look, that it was slightly unsettling to the detective. For now, though, he was more concerned about the demons in the room with them.

"What will happen to that demon?" Shinichi asked weakly as Kaito pulled the last of his skin closed and settled the last knot. Haniel turned to him with amused eyes.

"Should you be asking questions in your state?" She asked the wounded detective a very honest question, but Shinichi only frowned back at her. With a giggle, she turned away from the two teens. "It will eventually go back to its masters who will send out another." She explained with an air of indifference. Both teens didn't like the tone she used, but being a demon, Kaito expected nothing less of her.

Kaito was wiping off Shinichi's stitched wound with disinfectant when Sariel came waltzing in the back door of the kitchen hanging off of Zadkiel who looked displeased by the action. Zadkiel was wearing a dark blue Tsumugi kimono that had white and grey accent lines showering down the material in an elegant pattern with two tendrils of white weaving in a smokey pattern up his left shoulder. Little red flowers were accenting the white lines up his torso with a grey sash fastened around his middle. Sariel was wearing a beautiful fall Tsukesage. It was white with purple watercolors flowing up from the whole bottom over her left hip and around her left shoulder. A flourish of pink, teal, white, and lavender blossoms covered the garment. Around her waist were two sashes, one pink and yellow, the other blue and pink each donned in flowers while a blue gold and white rope were fastening it all together. Though she let go of him, she had looked furious when she entered the room.

"Haniel, we took care of the demon, but it looks like Azrael and Abaddon have seen us move," Sariel spoke in a serious tone. Kaito spared them a glance but was busy wrapping Shinichi's arm in gauze to pay too much attention. "We need to lie low for a while now." She admitted in a weary tone. That part piqued his interest.

"Is there somewhere we can go to stay safe for a while?" He asked turning to them; however, when he turned all three demons were gone. Cursing he turned back to Shinichi and tied off his wrap. "We need to get moving. If they got rid of the demon-like she said, we've only got so much time to move before another comes." He said looking up at Shinichi. He looked a little better, but he was in no condition to run.

"Back pocket..." Shinichi said suddenly. Kaito blinked in surprise and looked in his own back pockets. "No, mine... idiot." He continued and Kaito urged Shinichi onto his side so he could fish through his back pocket. A light blush covered his face when Shinichi shuddered. He ended up pulling out a hard candy from his back pocket and handing it to its owner. Shinichi unwrapped it with some difficulty before popping it in his mouth. The taste of sweets was still revolting, but he needed them. He couldn't afford to pass out here. Not now. "What time is it?" He rasped as he slowly bent forward on the counter. Kaito looked at his watch and sighed.

"Half-past midnight." He said as he continued to pack up the supplies. Shinichi nodded. "Okay, we need to grab food and go back to the infirmary. There aren't enough supplies in that bag and we can't run back and forth." The detective explained. Kaito seemed reluctant to let Shinichi move but continued to pack the supplies as Shinichi looked in the fridge and cabinets. "Only bottled water and crackers..." Shinichi grunted as he pulled down two boxes of crackers. "They might as well just starve us." He spat out while looking around for a bag. Kaito hummed as he snapped the bag closed.

"We can grab more bags from the infirmary. I saw backpacks in there too. Not like our school bags, but sacks with straps." Kaito told the detective as they hurried out of the room.

"That's fine. I'll grab the bags and run back here to fill as much as I can." Shinichi huffed as they ran down the hall. The hard candy clicked against his teeth as he tried to talk. "I'll meet you at the top of the stairs as soon as I'm done." He said as they entered the infirmary. "If any demons show up, meet up in the nearest room." He called as Kaito kept running to the back of the room.

"Sure thing!" Kaito yelled back as Shinichi grabbed a few bags from the pile and retraced his steps.

Shinichi's arm was throbbing, nearly numb with pain, and he was dizzy from blood loss. The local anesthetic was starting to wear off and though Kaito looked around for pills, all he found was bottled herbs. Shinichi would be fine with the pain. He was used to that. He needed to eat something other than crackers to gain back all the blood he'd lost. His head was swimming, but Shinichi kept going. He dumped the food and water he had in his hands inside one of the bags on his way to the kitchen again and swung it onto his back.

The next demon didn't come until they had met at the top of the stairs back in the foyer. How the stairs had appeared again, they didn't know, but they were thankful. Keeping a better time on the clock, Shinichi realized it had actually been a full hour between demons. That had been a surprise to both adults. This demon was new. It was a cat hybrid-type demon. It had two heads, a slimy hide, and a spiked tail. Its eyes were gone, leaving a hollow skull, yet it could see them perfectly as it chased them down. Kaito had pulled out his card gun, shooting at it, but the creature merely jumped past the card and leaped for them.

“Over here!” Shinichi said, pulling Kaito into a room. The door slammed behind them and the demon hit the door. It nearly broke through, but a moment later all was quiet. Kaito and Shinichi looked at each other, panting before collapsing against each other. “We can’t keep doing this.” Shinichi confessed in a tired voice. Kaito nodded against his head, feeling their hair rub together. 

“Maybe we can find some way of ending this for good?” Kaito questioned. Shinichi leaned forward, taking Kaito with him who didn’t move even though he was mildly uncomfortable. Chin pressed to his chest and back pressed against the door. It was slightly painful even but he couldn't bring himself to move. 

“We need to look around more, but with all of the demons chasing us…” Shinichi sighed, looking around the mostly empty room. In the corner, there was a bed and he closed his eyes. He would give anything to lay down right now, but they didn’t have time. “If we can get back to that office, we might find something.” He said and took water out of his bag. Taking a sip, he jumped and nearly choked on his water when the demon crashed against the door again. This time, the door cracked under the weight. “First we need to find a way to kill this thing.” He said, cringing at the words on his tongue. He never thought he’d have to say something like that. Ever. Kaito noticed this and nudged him with his shoulder.

“Hey, we’ll deal with it when we get there. First, let’s retrace our steps. It might help us find the office faster.” He offered and Shinichi sighed before nodding. He quickly put his water away before slinging the bag onto his back and standing. Just then, the demon crashed through the door sending wood flying all over. As if on cue, the two men launched themselves over the demon and out the door. 

Later in the day, the two had managed to get all sorts of lost. It was odd. The halls they had run through before were nothing like they were when they retracted their steps. It was as if the castle itself was changing. Kaito stopped Shinichi as they ran through one of the halls and looked over at the black wall where the garden should have been. A demon was currently chasing them but had to make its way through the door to continue.

“Hold on. I wanna try something.” He said and though Shinichi looked at him incredulously, he stopped to turn to him. Kaito nodded, swallowing before turning to the garden and stepping off the stone and onto the grass of the garden on the other side. When he stepped through his body was bathed in light and he felt warmth cover his body as the sun shone down on him. The cold of the Winter season didn't seem to apply in this garden. He had missed the sun so much. He couldn’t stop his throat from closing as he turned to Shinichi with a broad smile. “Come on.” He said holding out a hand. Shinichi hesitated to hear Kaito's echoing voice through the barrier. He watched the hand of the magician pop out and the door opened on the other side of the hall to show a bug demon, something like a beetle, flying through the door jam and towards Shinichi. When Kaito reached out and pulled his hand Shinichi gasped and tumbled out into the garden onto the soft grass. When he looked up the demon was coming right for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buggy boy just wants a kiss kiss. ఠ్ఠ︿ఠ్ఠ


	5. Day Two, Part Two: 1412

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sōzu is a type of water fountain used in Japanese gardens. It consists of a segmented tube, usually of bamboo, pivoted to one side of its balance point. At rest, its heavier end is down and resting against a rock. A trickle of water into the upper end of the tube accumulates and eventually moves the tube's center of gravity past the pivot, causing the tube to rotate and dump out the water. The heavier end then falls back against the rock, making a sharp sound, and the cycle repeats. This noise is intended to startle any herbivores such as deer or boars which may be grazing on the plants in the garden.

"Shinichi, this way," Kaito whispered. Shinichi, who was ducking out of the office, looked over at Kaito with an ever serious nod before his feet carried him silently along the stone floor, body aching, sweat rolling down his temple from his bangs. He wiped it away before it could fall. Throughout the night, after their most recent discovery, the two men had been running back and forth between the garden and various rooms.

The garden, which seemed odd in the first place, had kept them safe from demon attacks. The courtyard was fairly large just like the rest of the castle. There was a small koi pond in the center, surrounded by various shaped large rocks. It was topped with a red bridge gracefully arching over the water, creating a ring in the reflection of the pond. Koi flowed within the water below creating ripples as their bodies grazed just under the top of the water. Japanese Iris' were planted at either end of the bridge on both sides of the pond. Water Lilies were sitting atop Lily pad patches, at the far corner of the pond where the water was uninterrupted. The grass was also bot short in this area just as the grass outside the estate had been. A few yards from the koi pond was an ancient sakura tree, the blossoms were barely peeking open, the buds swayed in the gentle breeze that always gently stroked all the greenery amidst the two men. Small stone paths were leading them over the bridge and to the foyer as well as the back of the castle where the infirmary and kitchen were. Wisteria was laced all over the outside of the buildings surrounding the garden making it look like it was snowing all around them in the warmth of the sun. 

They didn't know if it was a haven from the demons. They didn't know if the two necromancers had put it there on purpose. What they did know was that they had a safe place to stay, but now, they needed to make sure they could keep themselves fed and alive. Food, places to sleep, and keeping warm were all things that needed to be taken care of before they grew too weak to do anything. They had managed to get most things situated over the night. It was around eight-thirty in the morning by the time they were ready to set out again. Both were tired from overexertion. More than likely, all of the other people that came into this 'game' were stuck not knowing that this place was a haven from the demons. That was probably how they all managed to die. They hadn't stumbled on any other people in the castle. Assuming was the only thing that they could do right now. It made Shinichi's skin crawl. Not knowing what was going on and not being able to put the facts together. There were too many running cogs in this machine. Too many questionable moves being made by people- no, black magic users, that he knew nothing about. Currently, they were backtracking through the castle to the garden from their little escape to the office. Shinichi had suggested they go and see if they could find a map. Surely if they had a moving castle, they had a moving map. This wasn't a completely magical world from what Kaito could tell, but from what they had seen, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Let's go, we've got two minutes left." Kaito urged as they met each other in front of the stairs. Time was short in this setting and it was times like these that Kaito was thankful that his mother bought him expensive things like a stopwatch built into an actual watch for his birthday. Together, they both slid down the railings. Sure, it was childish, but to get back to the garden, they needed to cut time in any way they could. "Did you find it?" Kaito asked as they ran for the door to the outer hall. Shinichi shook his head.

"I tore every book off the shelf and shook each one out. I didn't have enough time to go through the desk." He explained as they burst through the door. Jumping into the garden they both tumbled onto the grass, nearly hitting a patch of Japanese Camellia.

Just as their backs hit the grass, a large dog demon had burst through the door and ran right for them. Its front body was split in half showing innards that were rotted and some even missing. Both Kaito and Shinichi watched as the demon sprinted right for them. The two sides of its body seemed to come together in a biting motion repeatedly as if the entire thing would eat them in one gulp. Just as it leaped right for them, the Sōzu* next to the foyer smacked against the stone after releasing water it had been holding, and the demon's body, which had smacked into the invisible barrier, was shredded apart and turned into shining dust that fell to the ground before it turned into nothing. Stunned into shuddering silence, both boys watched the ash disappear with the gentle breeze.

"...just like all the other times too," Kaito said shifting on the ground, his sweaty palms scraping healthy damp grass underneath. Shinichi nodded next to him and pulled himself to his feet. His arm throbbed as he put a bit of pressure on it. Shinichi made a noise of agreement, his breathing ragged, and leaned against the grass with his elbows. He looked around at the miscellaneous flowers before sighing and wiping the sweat from his brow. His body was shaking, muscles aching.

"We have some time before we can set out again. Do you want to take a break?" Shinichi asked the shorter young adult as he laid back down causing his empty backpack to flatten beneath him.  
"Yeah," Kaito responded with a breathy voice, walking over to the small bench next to the koi pond and proceeding to dump himself onto it with a leg and arm hanging off the side.

The garden they lay in was quite beautiful. Every time Shinichi took another look, he found a new type of flower. It wasn't like the garden changed. No, unlike the castle, the garden stayed the same, untouched by black magic. But, with the short time that they had been in the garden, there was always something new to find. It reminded Shinichi of someone he knew. A fleeting thought across his mind, but it made him scowl in surprise and rake his hand through his hair to get rid of the thought. Why would he think of the thief at a time like this? This was a life or death situation, not a mere game of cat and mouse. Before he could dwell on his thoughts for another moment, a voice caught his attention from above him.

"The two of you are back so soon?" Came a high soft voice. Both boys didn't have to shift their gaze to know it was one of the three who had helped them earlier. Kaito rested his eyes for another moment before sitting up and looking at Haniel, the female demon in the sapphire kimono, who was standing across the pond under the sakura tree. She reached out to pet some flowers on her way by and they seemed to follow her fingers as they dropped to her side. Kaito didn't even question why they would or why she was there. This was where the three odd otherworldly beings resided while they weren't tending to the castle.

"We're taking a break. Besides, we have food and water." Kaito turned and pulled out a colorful handkerchief from one of his various pockets. The woman merely nodded. They had met her here before. The first time they had been running from the leopard demon and they had stepped over the threshold the three colorfully dressed people from the kitchen had been standing in the center of the garden talking. It had to have been a trick of the eye. Kaito still couldn't understand how he hadn't seen them before he turned around with Shinichi, yet there they had been: standing and glancing over at them in surprise. "Where are the other two?" Kaito asked with mild interest while tearing himself from his thoughts. Usually, when they would come back, they were standing and tending to the garden. Haniel hummed, clearly amused by something that Kaito had said, but not voicing her interest.

"They're tending to the larger garden and field. We don't just tend to Eden after all." She stated in a formal voice gesturing to the garden around her with a peppy hand. Kaito followed her hand with his eyes and nodded slowly as her hand once again rested in front of her, folded with its partner. "I was merely checking up on you two before continuing with my duties. We're here to help you, you know." She said looking pointedly at Shinichi who had yelled his fool head off when he had seen them the first time. Shinichi just huffed and refused to look at her.

"Thanks for the concern. We're taking a rest now, so you don't have to worry about us." Shinichi said offhandedly. Kaito sent him a slightly surprised glance, not expecting the tone of voice, but not disagreeing with him. Haniel gave an irritated huff before she sighed and slowly faded away in wisps of light particles. Kaito rubbed his face slowly for a moment, exhaustion threatening to engulf him before he took a deep breath and threw himself onto his feet with what appeared to be little effort before he walked further into the garden and sat down on the mattress they had managed to bring back. It was sitting at the bottom of the bridge that crossed the small pond. At some point, they planned to bring a second one down but were stuck sharing one until then.

"How are demons even allowed in a garden called Eden anyway?" Kaito asked as he laid back on the mattress and sank gratefully onto the rough material. It didn't make any sense that those three demons were allowed into the safety of the garden when the other demons weren't allowed. Though they certainly looked different from all of the other demons they had come to learn of in their short time here. How many more would they see? Kaito shuddered at the thought. He wondered what Akako was doing if she wasn't stalking him at that moment.

"I don't know, I'm just glad they're on our side," Shinichi said after a moment of silence between the two teens. The detective threw himself down on the bed with a strained look on his face, being careful of his injured arm. Kaito yelped in surprise, not having noticed the detective even walking over to the magician. How had he not noticed him? Surely the detective must have made a noise? Maybe it was because Kaito was tired? The only other people who could sneak up on him like that were Aoko and his mother. Could it have been that he was becoming comfortable with the detective? Surely that was only because he knew the detectives' true identity and the detective didn't know his identity as KID. A twinge of guilt passed through Kaito's chest before he pushed it deep down. He couldn't get involved with the detective, for both their sakes.

They sat there for a while trying to collect themselves and calm their adrenaline levels. Shinichi sighed, slumping forward and leaning on his legs. He cringed when it stressed his stitches. Kaito noticed and his brows pulled together in a worried look. The pain from pulling the stitches made Shinichi's arm quiver and Kaito pressed his lips together, throwing himself into a sitting position and reaching a hand towards the other man’s injured arm.

"Here, let me see your arm." Kaito prompted softly as he placed his hand on top of Shinichi's. Shinichi flinched at the sudden contact in surprise, but leaned back and turned over his arm carefully in Kaito's hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't find any pain killers for you." Kaito apologized with a guilty look on his face. Shinichi shook his head, arm still aquiver, but not panting as heavily as they had been when they'd arrived back in Eden.

"I would just work it off with all the running." Shinichi began and continued when Kaito tried to cut him off. "And you're not leaving me here." He said with a determined look. Kaito leveled an equally stubborn grin at him.

"I can do all of this myself Shinichi," Kaito argued. They had fought like this the night before when they decided that the garden was safe enough to sleep in. "I'm able to sneak around and memorize the way through every hall. The halls change, but only going in one direction. You've noticed, right? Every time we've gone to the foyer, the outside looks the same but inside the rooms have shifted. Plus I have ways of protecting myself and I can run farther and faster than you can." He pointed out. Shinichi gritted his teeth, knowing Kaito was right, but not wanting Kaito to go by himself. "You're injured and can't run for long. Your body can't handle this much stress. Not since you ch-" Kaito had gotten so caught up in keeping Shinichi here, safe, that he had slipped. There was no way to fix that slip-up and by the confused and shocked look on the other man's face, Shinichi knew that too.

"Not since I what? Kaito, you don't know anything about me. How do you know why I can't run?" He asked, slightly afraid but extremely suspicious. Kaito had grit his teeth and looked at Shinichi with pained eyes before looking away. Kaito knew it was coming. He couldn't have prevented it. Not if he wanted to keep Shinichi safe. He just hadn't expected to tell Shinichi until later in their 'game'.  
"I think you have your suspicions about me. Right, Meitantei?" Kaito confessed slowly, his eyes moving to meet Shinichi's. Shinichi's face was dark, scared, angry, confused.

"How do you know about all this?" He asked tensely. His body was taut with anger, ready to do whatever he needed to protect himself. This was what Shinichi had feared. Over the last night, he'd had a lot of time to think. The card gun. The way the magician moved. The magic. Sure, saying he wanted to be better than Kaitou KID had thrown him for a loop, but he wasn't a young detective for his looks. "Who are you Kaito?" He asked before Kaito could respond. "That card gun, the way you tended to my wound. You aren't even surprised by all of this." Shinichi said, gesturing to the garden and castle with his good arm. Kaito gently placed Shinichi's injured arm on the detectives' lap before he ducked his head down.

"You were bound to find out anyway." He said and despite the growing fear and anxiety inside, felt his moonlight magicians' grin tugging at his lips, but he wouldn't let himself be pulled into another mask. Not for Shinichi, who had been through so much. "We have lots of fun together Meitantei." He said unsure and a bit sad, looking up and seeing Shinichi's shocked face. "I'm Kaitou KID, it's nice to finally meet you outside of a heist Meitantei." He formally introduced himself in a tired unsure voice. Shinichi was still for a breath before his shoulders visibly slumped with relief, though still clearly shocked. Sure, he had expected Kaito KID, so at least the thief wouldn't try and kill him along with this castle, but the fact that the moonlit thief just openly admitted it was quite shocking. Perhaps it was a last-minute confession before he committed suicide? No, that didn't sound like the thief either. His head swam, but with a slow, barely noticeable deep breath, he tried to calm his heart that was nearly beating out of his chest. This foolhardy man was the charming moonlit thief that had women screaming their heads off. The mastermind to half of the cases that made his heart and blood race. Every chase was a new type of excitement. Every new heist, a new challenge, a new invitation. A new game of cat and mouse.

"We could use all the tricks up your sleeve." He said, not knowing what else to say and Kaito looked at him sadly, the look causing Shinichi's heart to sink.

"I didn't bring any with me. I only have my doves and small tricks. No smoke bombs or traps." Kaito whipped out his doves and smiled while they took flight as he explained slowly. He watched as conflicted feelings flew across the detective's face. The taller man looked at the mattress in defeat.

Kaito had thought Shinichi would tie him up and leave him bound in the garden. He was on the opposite side of the law after all. Although, here, there was no law, only survival. Shinichi, on the other hand, was just thankful that Kaito wasn't part of the black organization. He sighed. Of course, Kaito wouldn't have any special tricks on him. It wasn't like he was suited up for a heist after all. Well, at least Shinichi knew that he could trust Kaito with more tasks. Especially with magic. Sure, he might not know real magic, but he knew a lot more than Shinichi did.

"Let me see your arm," Kaito said suddenly. Shinichi had to turn his thoughts around at the sudden shift in conversation before he lifted his arm again, wondering if the thief had inspected it the first time.  
"Do you get injured a lot on heists?" Shinichi asked. The words fell from his mouth before he could catch them and he regretted it the second they left his mouth. Kaito became tense while he began unwrapping Shinichi's arm. It was a while before he spoke. He'd completely unwrapped and uncovered Shinichi's arm. 

"Yes." He said on a breath out. It sounded much like a sigh, but not an uncomfortable one. He brushed his fingers over a tender area on Shinichi's arm before continuing. Shinichi flinched. "There's another organization, believe it or not, that wants what I'm trying to find." He said. Shinichi looked up at him with surprise. Kaito met his eyes with an amused smile. "What? You didn't think I just did this for the fame, did you? For the fun?" Shinichi gave him an unamused glare at that.

"This isn't the right type of fame KID. Or fun," Shinichi said. The nickname made Kaito flinch and to mask it he overreacted. He clutched his chest with the hand that wasn't holding up Shinichi's arm and gave a shocked look.

"I'm hurt, Shin. After knowing my real name, you still call me KID." He said with a pout. Shinichi rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away.

"Well, I've known you longer as Kaitou KID. It would be odd not calling you that." Shinichi said. Kaito crossed his arms and made an even deeper pout.

"But I gave you permission to call me Kaito." He brooded and Shinichi ignored him and made a smooth change of the subject.

"Is it infected? It's throbbing more than earlier." He asked. Kaito looked like he didn't want to drop the subject, but his concern for his detective was more important than what pet names were used.

"No, it's probably from moving around so much. The local anesthetic I gave you only works for so long. That's why I'm saying you should stay here and take it easy." He prompted. Shinichi looked down at his reddened wound and thought.

If he was with Kaitou KID, then he probably didn't have anything to worry about. Kaito could take care of himself, even in dangerous situations, but Shinichi wondered if it was alright to let him go out there by himself. This wasn't an ordinary situation at all, and Kaito didn't have anything but his card gun to fend off the creatures with. He didn't want to pay attention to the twist in his stomach at the thought of the thief out there by himself with no help.  
"How about we get some sleep before we go back out?" Shinichi inquired instead. Kaito looked like he didn't want to end the conversation now. His brows creased together for a moment so brief Shinichi wasn't sure he'd actually seen it, but Kaito didn't say anything more about it. He simply looked back down at Shinichi's arm. Picking up the bandage and a new piece of gauze from one of his many pockets. Shinichi offered him his arm again. The wound was cleaned and rebadged all in the silence emanating between the two.

"What, no more questions for me?" Kait suddenly asked. Shinichi looked away for a moment, unsure if he wanted to know any more about the thief or not but settled his eyes back on Kaito with a determined look in his eye.

"Why are you protecting me if you know I'm going to arrest you when we get out of here?" He questioned. "You had to know that you'd give up your identity as Kaitou KID at some point during all this." He clarified. Kaito hummed and finished tying off the bandage before he looked down at his hands that threaded loosely together.

"Well, first of all, you know my policy as KID. No one on a heist gets hurt." He paused. "That applies to my entire life. I'm pretty much the same on and off the stage. It's a way of life to any real magician." He rolled his thumbs around each other once, twice, before continuing. "I didn't know what you would do to me if you found out. I was honestly thinking you'd tie me up and leave me in Eden while you figured all of this out yourself, but this, what's happening now, has led me to believe that you won't arrest me." Shinichi opened his mouth to protest because there was no way to tell if he was going to arrest the magician before Kaito cut him off to continue. "This, what I am off stage, is my personal life. Just like your detective work and your relationship with Mouri-san. You don't mix her up with your work." He spoke slowly, as if unsure of his own words. "You want to catch me in the act. You look forward to our games, just like I look forward to seeing you at my heists. Beating me outside the game doesn't seem like a fair way to win." He explained as he glanced back up at Shinichi who was no longer looking at the magician. There was a long moment before Shinichi finally sighed.

"I hate that you're right," Shinichi confessed. "It wouldn't feel right." He explained. "Like I cheated." He elaborated. Kaito hummed in agreement next to him and laid back on the bed. Another question popped into his head just then. "Why are you so interested in me anyway? I didn't tell anyone about my relationship to the black organization, so I don't see how you could have figured it out." The detective of the west asked. Kaito blushed then, turning onto his side to hide his face.

"I may or may not have bugged your house..." He mumbled so quietly that Shinichi barely heard. A blush immediately appeared on Shinichi's face as well and he turned away from Kaito.  
'Why would you do that?' Shinichi thought to himself.

"I shouldn't be surprised, it's not the first time you've done something illegal, but..." He said refusing to continue. If Kaito happened to turn on his ears at the wrong time... Shinichi felt dirty now. Hopefully, Kaito hadn't listened in on the times when Shinichi got more familiar with himself out of sheer desperation.

"I-I did it because I worry about my favorite detective! That's all!" Kaito stuttered. Sure, he had been worried about Shinichi at first. Especially when his teen self had gone missing and he had Conan in his place. But when Shinichi came back in his teen body... 'No, no, no! Don't go there. Not right now.' Kaito thought to himself. Shinichi had stopped blushing but was still facing away as he sat on the bed.

"After I went missing?" He asked. Kaito nodded against the bed. Shinichi felt kind of happy that someone was worried about him. Someone other than Ran. He swallowed and laid down, sharing the only bed they had found, on different ends of the small bed. "You're odd. It's kind of creepy, but you're right. I'm not going to arrest you." He said finally. Kaito gave a relieved sigh as relief washed over him like a breath of air. He shifted on the bed, positioning one hand to hold up his head while the other sat on his hip as he laid on his side. They both faced away from each other, Shinichi cradling his injured arm and tucked his legs up to his chest.

"We'll sleep for a while, then empty the bags, eat and go get more rations before we try looking in the office again. There's gotta be something there." Kaito offered. Shinichi gave a noise of agreement before closing his eyes. They were both exhausted but slept underneath the warm sunlight with the sound of the great cherry tree rustling above them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love Shinichi's "I'll fuck you up." face when he's angry. (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄


	6. Day Two, Part Three: After Ever After

For as long as Shinichi could remember, he was always the first one to wake up. Especially while sleeping around other people. Even when he was young and still lived with his parents, he would always wake them up in the morning. It was no wonder he had woken up that afternoon before Kaito. Being forced to play this stupid game didn't seem to make any difference. It wasn't even a surprise to him, that they had shifted closer together while they slept. After all the years he spent as Conan, he'd developed restless sleeping habits and tossed every which way. One morning he had even woken up on the floor. So no, moving closer to the magician in his sleep wasn't surprising at all.

What was unanticipated was that when he woke from the second heaviest sleep he'd ever experienced in his entire life, he was feeling warmer than when he had closed his eyes, and there was a pleasant pressure on his chest. The weight was revealed to be a sleeping thief when he opened his eyes. The thief hadn't woken up to notice that they had moved closer. Leaning his head forward in surprise to meet Kaito’s crazy bed head, he took note of Kaito’s slow breath as it ghosted over his neck and collarbone. The breath on his neck made him shiver as he was made aware of their entangled legs because of a common problem downstairs throbbed as if condescendingly telling him good morning. A blush dusted across his nose and cheeks as he tried to calm himself down. That throbbing problem was nothing compared to the one laying on his chest. 

How come Shinichi hadn't noticed the thief laying on him? After everything that happened with the Black Organization, he hadn't been able to rest well at night, and he often had nightmares that startled him awake. Ones that had him screaming silently in terror, gasping for air he couldn't seem to catch. The anxiety afterward left him tossing and turning most nights as he struggled with meeting the demons in his dreams.

He also wasn't the type of person who had taken to enjoying physical affection. Things like cuddling and casual affections like holding hands were always difficult for the detective. He had tried to, back when he first returned to his original body. Of course, when he had returned to his body, he wasn't receiving visitors. Haibara had put him in intensive therapy so that he wouldn't die. Ran had finally come over after everything was starting to settle down and forgiven him for all that he had confessed to her. They had started dating not too long after that. No matter how many times they tried getting closer, something always stopped him. He hadn't exactly loved the physical aspect of their relationship, but he couldn't deny that he'd had feelings for Ran once upon a time. After being Conan for as long as he had been, his feelings for her had changed. He now felt that he'd known her on a different level: as a sister. He didn't love her like a lover anymore. Holding her close and even starting to get frisky with her just felt… wrong. That singular experience with Ran hadn't left a big impression and because of that, he didn't have any experience with cuddling. Consequently, he hadn't thought he would enjoy it with anyone else. So, why did he find himself settling back down onto the bed? Why did his eyes slide closed again as a sigh fell from his lips? Contemplation aside, his mind wandered off once more, and dreams overtook him. Fuzzy sleep hazed brain, settling down into the comfort, Shinichi gently nuzzled the head in his neck.

It was Kaito that woke up next, his mind foggy and his body wrapped in warmth. It was a foreign feeling. He smiled to himself and curled further into his heated bed. He didn't realize why it was so comfortable until he felt his bed rising and falling underneath him in a slow, content sigh. It took a moment to realize exactly why the bed was moving because he was exhausted and still half asleep. When he finally started putting the pieces together, his heart jumped into his throat. The magician's eyes snapped open to confirm that, yes, he was laying on top of the detective and holy shit was that- he jumped away from the detective underneath him with an embarrassed blush before he could finish his thoughts.

'I slept on a detective!' He thought and put a hand on his hammering chest while trying to calm his heart. He hadn't expected to wake up like that. Why hadn't Shinichi woken up and moved from under him? Kaito slept heavier than anyone else his mother knew and wouldn't wake up for anything. He knew Shinichi always woke up first. How had they even moved closer like that? Kaito refused to cuddle with people, because of his job as Kaitou KID, let alone sleep that close with someone. A detective. The law. He knew that Shinichi fussed around in his sleep, so waking up to that was beyond a surprise. He had observed the detective sleeping when the detective stopped showing up for heists as Conan. Watching him struggle in his sleep had been hard. His insomnia had been harder.

As he tried to collect his thoughts, because, damn it, he couldn't understand why he found the idea of cuddling with the other man enjoyable, Shinichi shifted in his sleep. This caused Kaito to jump, suppressing a yelp, and turn away so he could scurry over to the ration bag and rummage through it. Poker face, poker face, what was that again? Never mind, forget the poker face. Find food. Food.  
"Kaito?" Shinichi's voice, rough from sleep, called out to Kaito. Kaito's stomach fluttered suddenly and he frowned, immediately pressing the feelings down.

'Ignore it.' Kaito thought. He had better things to do like find food.

"Over here, Shin." He called back in a surprisingly chipper voice. He wasn't so thankful for his poker face more than right at that moment. Could Lady luck please explain this light twisting feeling in his stomach? He never had this feeling with Aoko. There was more shuffling behind him as he pulled out two bottles of water and two sleeves of crackers.

"What are you doing?" Shinichi asked in a muffled voice while rubbing his face. Kaito turned just as he ran his hands through his bed head and Kaito felt a fluttering grow stronger as well as a blush settling on his cheeks. Perhaps he was getting sick? Now wasn't the time to be distracted. Shinichi looked almost exactly like the magician, but his blue orbs eyes were still watery with sleep. The way his hair was askew in the mornings made the feeling in his gut grow stronger and he had to look away. 

"Just grabbing some food. You want some right?" He had managed to keep his voice steady. Lucky him. Always lucky. Shinichi simply grunted and a water and cracker sleeve was tossed onto the bed next to him. "How'd you sleep?" Kaito asked, trying to make conversation as they dug into their first meal of the day. The question didn't receive a response, however, and when Kaito looked up from his food Shinichi was looking down at his open water bottle with a blush covering his cheeks. Kaito's cheeks lit up like Christmas lights before he looked back down. Poker face, damn it. "Hey, did you wake up earlier?" Well, that could have come out smoother. Come back lady luck. Shinichi felt himself blush harder before he put the cap back on his water and sat cross-legged on the bed. It felt like an eternity before Shinichi finally answered but, in reality, it was only a few seconds.

"Yeah." That was all Shinichi said as he continued to memorize the patterns in the stone over the side of the bed. Kaito felt the need to bite his lip but ignored it. Well, he'd never felt this awkward before. Instead, he grinned nervously.

"I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to…" He tried to explain himself and couldn't find the words. Of course, he hadn't meant to sleep on Shinichi. He'd been unconscious. Acquaintances normally didn't end up cuddling in the middle of the night though. Now glancing back up at Shinichi, he saw the detective shook his head, with a serious but friendly look on his face. And was that a blush? It couldn't be.

"Don't worry about it. I mean, it's the best I've slept in- months." Shinichi said then let out a chuckle. "I guess that's probably odd considering where we are." He continued as Kaito glanced around the garden, taking in the chirping birds and swaying leaves. They were both quiet again as they ate and soon Kaito couldn't handle the weight of silence. Taking a few swallows of water, he prepared another cracker for its descent into his mouth, pausing to look over at Shinichi before speaking. 

"So what's the plan for today?" He asked before shoving a cracker into his mouth. Shinichi deliberated this as he broke a cracker in half with his mouth before his tongue darted out to catch the piece he had broken, a habit he had picked up from Ayumi over the years. Kaito couldn't stop glancing back at Shinichi's mouth as the detective finished his cracker. Keep focused Kuroba. Focus on anything but his mouth. 

"Zadkiel told us that the map is somewhere in the study. We can go check there again to see if there are any hidden places that we missed." He explained examining his bandaged arm, still sore and throbbing. "But we also need to pick up more bedding and food before dark. That way we can warm the blankets in what sun we'll have before it starts getting dark." He explained. Kaito hummed in agreement, taking a sip of his water from his nearly empty bottle. He was able to focus more on what was happening rather than Shinichi's mouth when they spoke about the mansion. He wanted to stay on the topic and thankfully a castle full of flesh-eating demons was more than enough to keep his attention.

"I think we should also check up on the third and fourth floors a bit more thoroughly." Kaito began, leaning his elbows on crossed legs. "We haven't checked out the whole place yet. You never know, they may have an armory somewhere here." He explained and though Shinichi's brows creased in irritation at the thought of arming themselves he nodded in agreement. None of this was right. Killing to live. It was like they were animals, but the monsters that the two men were dealing with were anything but human. Not even remotely human. With an unsettling feeling in his stomach, Shinichi stood and tried to dust the grime out of his jeans with his good hand. He silently thanks himself for dressing casually for the occasion.

"Finish eating and we'll head off to the bathroom before going to the rooms and seeing what we can find for bedding." Shinichi prompted and Kaito nodded as he stuffed more crackers into his mouth. "Do you have any more of those coffee candies?" Shinichi asked reservedly. Kaito looked up from grasping another cracker to look at Shinichi in surprise before nodding. "They don't have foods with natural sugars here." Shinichi continued as Kaito flourished a single hand to reveal a small candy. The small hint of simple magic made Shinichi smile. "This couldn't have been a worse situation for my body to be in." The once eight-year-old admitted as he took the candy and unwrapped it. Kaito had to look away from the other young adult as dysphoria gripped his stomach. He hated seeing the once great detective like this. He missed the spark of devilish certainty he'd once seen, but he understood everything the other man had been through. 

After they had finished eating, Kaito and Shinichi packed up four more bottles of water and two more sleeves of crackers. They most likely wouldn't have time for lunch, so they would have to eat on the run; quite literally. A small bag of trash and a few empty bags were thrown over each shoulder and across the chest so they didn't fall off while running. Luckily, just before they left, Zadkiel and Sariel came waltzing through the barrier with happy smiles on their faces. The look-alikes glanced at each other to share a wondering look before looking back at the two demons.

"What's got you two in such a good mood?" Kaito asked as he shifted the food rations on his back. Zadkiel's eyes settled on the two high schoolers and he smiled, even more, his glasses shifting on his nose a bit causing him to push them up. 

"We just finished the lawn, garden, and cleaning surrounding the estate. Why wouldn't we be happy?" He asked. Sariel gave a nod in agreement before gracefully settling down on the grass below some Hydrangeas.

"And now we can take care of Eden," Sariel said petting the bottom of one of the flowers and watching as it followed her fingertips when she pulled him away. The other flowers in the Hydrangea bush shivered happily as if a wind were blowing before settling again. Kaito and Shinichi stared in fascination. There was an otherworldly feeling of the garden that seemed calm and peaceful. Comforting almost. The sōzu on the far end of the garden let out a loud 'Tok' against the wet stone underneath. As they stepped over the boundary line into the halls of the castle, a burst of cold air passed over them and they shivered; covered in darkness. 

"Bathroom?" Kaito asked as his bladder screamed at him. Shinichi nodded, feeling the same urge but not as badly.

"Bathroom." The detective agreed. As soon as they had gotten to the bathroom, which was simply a large room with a stone tub, sink, and toilet, they stood just inside and glanced at one another.

"How about I stand outside to this time?" Kaito offered. Shinichi nodded and closed the door when Kaito stepped back out of the door frame. As Kaito took out his card gun, he rolled the kinks out of his shoulders and gave a large sigh. "...hope he doesn't take too long," Kaito said before leaning against the door. Time was ticking. They both knew that. It had taken nearly five minutes to get to this point, he was sure. This castle was huge. 

It didn't take that long for Shinichi to rinse his hair in the sink and relieve himself. He was used to getting up and rushing out the door in time for school even after he moved back into the Kudo mansion. Sadly, the time here and the time he spent at the Kudo mansion were two different time limits. As he was rinsing his face off a foul smell, phosphorus filled the air that made him pull away from the sink and dry off his face quickly with one of the towels put out by the staff. It was hard trying to keep his stitches from getting wet, but he managed, and just before he opened the door to see what exactly the smell was Kaito let out a shrill scream. A scream he had never heard before. A high pitched and completely terrified scream made the detective's heart skip a beat.

There was a crash against the door then, Kaito let out another scream, and Shinichi heaved the door open. Kaito tumbled through the door and in a shred of panic he screamed again. With a flail of arms and legs, Kaito backed up to the farthest part of the room and sat there, whimpering with tears in his eyes. A state of panic Shinichi had never seen, even when KID was staring down the barrel of a gun. Now though. There was no poker face evident at all. 

"Kaito?" Shinichi called just as the door was pushed from his grasp. Shinichi immediately knew it was another demon, but whatever demon could make Kaito react like that was no ordinary demon to be messed with. He launched himself away from the door just as he turned to look at what it was that he had to face but stopped short after he had collected his footing. The word tumbled from his mouth before he could catch it. "Fish?" He questioned as the demon barreled forward. This one was slower but larger. Its teeth were razor-sharp and red with something looking like blood. Kaito let out another squeal of terror as Shinichi said the name and shot at it multiple times when he found it barreling towards the detective.

Its body was repulsive; deteriorating. Its fins had muscles and there were hands and legs at the end of them. Its body was dripping water which was burning the ground. When it tried to talk, it ended up vomiting. It was honestly the most terrifying thing that Kaito had ever seen. The cards didn't lodge themselves into the fish as he had anticipated. The scales seemed to be made from something heavier than the steel that the deck was made of and that terrified him all the more. As the fish closed in on Shinichi, Kaito sat frozen, completely terrified at the entire situation.

It was odd. Shinichi wasn't supposed to have feelings of affection or friendship for a thief. They were on completely different sides of the law and this thief was also a flamboyant magician who didn't know the meaning of calm down, but the feeling in his chest was the same as it had been with Ran when they were younger, before he had become Conan, yet it was stronger than it had been with Ran. Seeing Kaito balled up on the other side of the room had brought on a feeling that he hadn't experienced in a while. The need to protect. He wasn't going to ignore any other emotions he was feeling. Hell, he knew what would happen if he held them back or ignored them. The Black Organization had helped with that.

So when the new demon came after Shinichi and Kaito had done nothing but quiver in fear, Shinichi knew that it was his turn to help protect Kaito and himself. When the fish demon came at him and was nearly on top of the detective, Shinichi ducked under it and smacked it with the door. The demon toppled over onto its stomach as Shinichi ran over to Kaito. Shinichi's only thought was that the demon they were dealing with now had to be the stupidest one they had seen the entire time, but if it made Kaito react like this, he wasn't going to just stand there and watch it tear them to shreds of flesh and bone.

As the demon worked itself into a sitting position, slowly and awkwardly, Shinichi grabbed Kaito by the arm and took the card gun from his hand. Turning with the gun trained on the demon he wavered. He hadn't fired a gun at a living thing before. Dead pigs once when his father took him to Hawaii but never living. Were these demons even alive? They surely weren't anything from this world, but just as the demon stood on its feet Kaito let out a shuddering breath of fear that Shinichi thought was most likely supposed to be a whimper before it didn't matter anymore. He needed to protect the thief just as Kaito had done for him up until now.

The card gun didn't have as much recoil as he thought it would. Only discharging with minimal force from the spring release before his hand was righted again. His first shot completely missed where he was aiming and ricocheted off of the scales making the demon spin upon him angrily. The second shot failed to hit its mark, wedging itself into the stone wall as the demon stood up on its slimy feet. The third shot wedged itself under one of the gills on the demon before three more cards hit in quick succession. The demon let out furious bubbling noises as it looked at them with its beady eyes but did nothing but fall to the ground and continue to let out a bubbling sound before it stopped moving. Black blood seeped from under the gills and it turned to dust before the rest of the demon started to fade away.

The two men leaned against the wall, shaking slightly, as they tried to collect their thoughts. Shinichi was the first of the two that looked around. The gun slipped from his hand and fell to the ground but neither hardly heard the sound. Shinichi's face was still slightly damp, but he wasn't sure if it was from water or the panicked sweat he had broken out in. When his eyes landed on Kaito he couldn't look away. Kaito looked haunted as his eyes bore into the stone where the demon once lay. The stone where it had been was being inspected thoroughly as the magician made certain that it was gone. Shinichi, against his better judgment, put a shaky hand on Kaito's arm and watched as the magician slid down the wall. Finally, the thief closed his eyes and stuffed them into his knees. His shoulders shook with the effort it took to let out another long breath. Adrenaline ran in waves through his stomach but was slowly fading away. 

"Kaito…" Shinichi began as he leaned down next to him. "You have ichthyophobia, don't you?" He asked slowly. It took quite a long time before Kaito only nodded and shifted so that he was leaning against Shinichi's body. The new information surprised the highschool detective of the west. He had always thought KID would be a person who didn't have phobias. Everyone was afraid of something, but phobias? It didn't sound like Kaitou KID at all. The young detective blushed a little at the contact but didn't move away. His uninjured hand rose, sitting atop the younger man's hair, his fingers slipping under some strands to caress gently. The body underneath him jolted though it was barely noticeable. Shinichi almost moved his hand but thought better of it when Kaito didn't move away. "I didn't know you were afraid of fish," Shinichi spoke softly and Kaito flinched at the last word. It must have been a pretty bad phobia for him to react to the mere word. Despite the flinch, Kaito merely picked his head up from his knees. Shinichi's hand finally left the younger man's head, sitting on his knee instead.

"It happened when I was little." Kaito began slowly, unsure of whether he wanted to continue but swallowed before continuing. "Dad was always practicing tricks. He seldom messed up. That was the one thing that I loved the most about his tricks, but…" He closed his eyes and swallowed. "One of my dad's magic tricks went wrong for the first time in years. He ended up breaking a tank filled with…" Kaito began and swallowed down a lump in his throat from the memory. A shaky breath in was all the other man could hear. "I was covered in dirty g-gravel and- those things." Kaito's voice was thin. "They had trouble finding me and I still can't-" He put his face back on his knees then and didn't say anymore.

"It's okay. We'll get through this." The older teen mumbled and let go then. "But first how about we finish getting ready and look for bedding?" He prompted as Kaito looked up at him. The friendly look that the detective gave him took his breath away. Most people just made fun of him like Aoko. This was… new. Exciting. The magician nodded and with the helping hand of the detective he got up on shaky feet. "I'm done getting ready, why don't I wait in here? You look like you're about to pass out." Shinichi commented. Kaito had to remind himself where they were as he had gotten lost in thought and he blushed, clearly irritated that Shinichi had to see him like that, but said nothing as they parted. Shinichi went to the door, facing the whole of the bathroom kindly ignoring Kaito who had walked over to the toilet on shaky legs.

Once they were both finished with the bathroom Shinichi picked up the steel cards from the floor where the demon had turned to dust and popped them back into the gun. The ones that they had managed to retrieve from before were chipped and dented in some places but Kaito had told him that they were still usable so he continued using them. For now, it was the only thing that they had that worked against the demons. As it was, they were barely out the door of the bathroom when another demon that looked like a child came at them. It screeched before they even saw it and they had to cover their ears in pain. Safe to say it didn't help much. A one-shot to the head was all it took to quiet the wailing beast.

"Come on, let's see if we can find that room where we got the bed from," Shinichi said to Kaito who put away his gun after retrieving the card. The magician nodded and turned to walk with Shinichi to the second floor.

Retrieving the bedding was more of a difficult task than the two had anticipated. They had two more demons chase them down before they could find the room and it took more than an hour for each demon to disappear. A cheetah-like demon and goblin-like demon were the more difficult of the bunch after all. Kaito's card gun was too slow for the first and too flimsy for the second. Two hours after their little cat and mouse with the demons, they found the rooms they needed and sat for a short water break. On the bright side, the blankets that they had found were wool instead of down. They would soak up the sun's warmth easily and keep the two of them warm throughout the night. They debated on bringing another bed back with them, but the first time they had nearly died. As they were putting their water away to get going Shinichi winced as his stitches stretched. Kaito glanced over at him and tied his backpack closed before he slung it over his back and straightened.

"Are your stitches bothering you?" He asked as Shinichi closed his backpack. The detective glanced over at him.

"A bit, but only because we've been moving a bit more than yesterday. I can handle it." He said and though Kaito was weary, he continued over to the door.

"Hey, Shinichi," Kaito said on their way out the door. Shinichi looked over at him curiously and Kaito felt his stomach flip but continued. "Just… be careful." Kaito offered in a mumble and Shinichi's face was dusted with pink before he nodded.

The run over to Eden was cut short as another fish demon showed up and Kaito slammed himself back against the wall. Shinichi proceeded to grit his teeth in frustration but managed to produce the gun out of Kaito's breast pocket and smack the demon in the side of the head as it came charging at him. The demon was nearly three heads taller than him, but he managed to knock it off its feet before shooting it three times under the gills. The demon flopped a few times before going still and even before it turned to dust Shinichi grabbed the cards from the dead body and dusted off the card before putting it back into the gun and pocketing it. Offering a hand to the thief, they walked through the door into the hall that held Eden and walked through the barrier.

When they walked through there was a chorus of whispers that floated through the air. When Shinichi and Kaito looked around at all the flowers they found that the three flower demons were tending to the garden. They had never heard of this reaction from the garden before.

Too surprised to say anything, they quietly walked over to the bed and listened to all the pleased whispers that came from the plants. They couldn't understand the words, but when the three demons noticed that the two detectives had returned, they stopped tending to the garden to pay attention to the boys.

"We hope you had a safe trip." They all said together and if that wasn't the creepiest thing the two teens had seen yet…

"Do you guys have any idea how many more demons they threw at us today? We've only had fifteen-minute breaks all afternoon!" Shinichi pointed out angrily. As the three beings simply chuckled amongst themselves. Shinichi sighed in irritation. "We're just dropping off the bedding and then going back out. We still have to find out more about this mansion and maybe a way to stop the two... uh, black magic users." Shinichi said, making a disgusted face at the way the words rolled off his tongue. The three demons shared a look that confused the men before smiling.

"Well alright. Please come back safely." Sariel said and the other two nodded before going back to petting and crooning to the flowers. The two men began emptying their bags while trying to ignore the whispers that had started up again. Just as the sound had become unbearable for them, they sinched their bags shut and set out for the office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe Don't worry Kaito, you'll be doing more than sleeping on him soon. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	7. Day Two, Part Four: Necromancers

As the two adults made their way up to the second floor of the foyer, they walked in silence. Shinichi's legs were throbbing from all the running they had been doing. The ways of this world had really been taking a toll on his malnourished body. His stitches were throbbing and itchy. Compared to him, Kaito was pristine. Tall, well-built frame with nice muscle definition, and despite being pale, he had a rosy look about him because of all the running around. Like he was alive. Shinichi couldn't help but compare their appearances. Kaito looked so much like his old self it made jealousy curl into the pit of his stomach but he pushed it back down. He knew thinking about how his body used to be would only make him upset. 

The office was only a short walk away now. They would have been running had it not been for the detectives’ low blood glucose. The hard candy in his mouth clicked against his teeth as he played with it. This was a much better substitute than what he'd been given by Haibara. The candy was bitter in his mouth like black coffee but Kaito had been sure to show him the label on the back showing how much sugar was actually in it. 

"Kaito," Shinichi began as they entered the office. The moonlight thief drew his attention from surveying the study to settle his gaze on the other. "Why did you bring these coffee candies with you?" He asked, referring to the candy clicking in his mouth as he spoke. The question seemed to surprise the thief as his eyes widened a fraction of an inch before he grinned, Shinichi assumed it was another poker face. 

"Can't go anywhere without my sweets." He explained vaguely and Shinichi hummed in response. Kaito pursed his lips for a short second. "And I also know you like coffee better than sweets." He confessed turning away to look for the map trying to hide the blush that came to his face. Shinichi couldn't stop a blush from rising to his cheeks. 

"You brought them for me?" The detective of the west questioned, honestly curious. Kaito felt his stomach knot up, nervousness coiling and settling there. 

"I could tell you didn't like the ones you had. You only have them for low blood sugar. Right?" His explanation ended in a question as he yanked open a few drawers on the desk and started pulling out papers to look through. Shinichi glanced over the books on the shelves, looking for anything out of place. He nodded and made a noise of agreement. 

"I don't like the taste of sweets, but it's better than passing out, having convulsions, and dying." Shinichi confessed as he pulled a book off of the shelf titled 'Ancient Medicine' and fanned through it to pull out a folded slip of paper that had been shoved into the book's folds. Inside the paper was a list of ingredients for what seemed to be a spell for healing lacerations and the directions on how it worked. Surprised he turned to put it in his bag along with the book so he had a light read during times of rest. This would, after all, be the last time today that they would be running around. Unless of course one of them has to use the bathroom. They had only two minutes left to get back to Eden before the next demons came upon them. They had to be quick. 

Kaito let out an excited laugh causing the detective to jerk his head up in shock. Kaito was holding open large pieces of paper that looked like they had been rolled up at one point. "Finally." Shinichi breathed in relief as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "Let's go." He said and turned to exit the room.

The trip back to the center of the castle took only the two remaining minutes. Their feet carried them quickly down the stairs and out the door, where they dashed straight into Eden. When they stepped over the barrier a new demon appeared behind them in the doorway from where they had come. This was a higher level demon than the one they had seen before. It was an ashen color, with no nose or eyes. Its flesh was void of any creases or bumps. Not a single hair on its body. Only a salivating mouth with a forked tongue and holes on each side of its head. Its shape eerily that of a human but instead of hands, it sported two enormous scythe shaped blades. The demon stopped in front of the barrier. Even without eyes, Shinichi and Kaito could feel it staring them down. With a small lurch back, the demon threw itself forward with the force of the roar it released at them. After what seemed like forever, the demon ran out of air, huffing in defeat, and finally turned to begin returning down the hall. It left both teens shaky but alive. 

"That one was smarter than the others." Shinichi gasped while trying to catch his breath. 

He was lying on the grass staring at the early evening sky. He heard Kaito shift and turned his head to see Kaito nodding into his hands. They both recovered slowly, letting out sighs before they stood up and returned to the center of the garden. The three odd beings from before weren't present and the garden was quiet except for the animals and rustle of leaves as the wind passed through them. The two men had put the sheets on the bed and set out the blanket to warm in the sun. Shinichi pulled out his phone which barely had a charge on it anymore before he sighed. Still no signal. Exactly as he expected but he was disappointed every time he checked the time. 

"It's only four." He supplied as he dumped his bag onto the bed and pocketed his cellphone. Kaito groaned and dumped his bag onto the bed. 

"Why does time pass so oddly around here?" The magician complained. Indeed it had been a problem. Inside the castle, time seemed to fly faster than it did in Eden. As if time itself was accelerated inside the castle, which was nice when they were being chased by demons. They had to keep a close eye on the time when they were making trips to and from. Eden was the only place they could relax. 

"There's a lot of things that don't make sense with this place," Shinichi confessed, running his hand of his good arm through this hair. 

"It would be nice if we could contact Akako…" Kaito mumbled to himself and Shinichi looked at him in question. Their gazes met before Kaito continued. "She's a witch who practiced red magic." He began and watched as the other males’ eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "She's obsessed with me. She always wants me to fall in love with her, but as crazy as she is, she would at least help me out when things got crazy, like right now." He finished while making a vague gesture to their surroundings. Shinichi gave a defeated look in response and sat down on the bed, Kaito throwing himself down on the stone in front of his companion. 

"As tempting as this sounds, there's no way to get a hold of her," Shinichi concluded and Kaito nodded in agreement. There was a sudden growling of Kaito’s stomach and he whined. 

"I wish there was something here to eat other than crackers." This made Shinichi chuckle sadly as he couldn't help but agree. 

"I miss eating things with flavor," Shinichi admitted. Kaito hummed in agreement but they didn't talk anymore. 

As the day continued and Kaito avoided looking at the koi swimming in the pond, Shinichi pulled the book and the folded paper with listed ingredients from his bag that he had found earlier. Kaito helped himself to the floor plans of the castle. Familiarizing himself with them as much as he could before getting frustrated and throwing them onto the stone in between the two bodies. 

"Could they have made this more difficult to remember?" He asked rhetorically and huffed with crossed arms. Shinichi looked up from his book to look at Kaito's frustrated gaze trying to pierce the papers.   
"What's gotten you so upset?" Shinichi asked honestly curious what trivial thing could make the thief put this off. Kaito just made a frustrated noise and gestured to the papers in between them with an exasperated wave of his hands. Shinichi looked down at the papers, seeing normal blueprints that also had a bit of text scrawled on the edges of the paper. 

"When we first got here we thought the castle was rearranging itself, remember?" The thief inclined. Shinichi nodded as he remembered the way the castle had changed last night and a bit this morning.

"Well, we were wrong." He began again, prompting the detective to try and keep up. "The castle isn't changing. Only our perception of the castle is changing." He started and looked down at the paper. "There's only supposed to be four floors to this castle, the second and third floors being mostly storage, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Every corner of this castle was built to look the same. Every corner room has a staircase that seems to disappear. Every room has a window in the same spaces. Every door is spaced the same distance from one another as well. That's why we kept getting confused." Shinichi was beginning to understand. "Those black magic users have been messing with our minds. Panicking us to make us forget our turns." He began and held up the papers to the sun and watched as all the rooms overlaid each other to a T. "Not only that but the floorplans also state that the two ghosts we saw are actually black magic users. Using their magic to switch the physical floors at certain times of the day. That's why we couldn't find Eden last night." He explained and Shinichi's brows rose in surprise. 

"So that means we'll have to be careful when and where we go." Shinichi mused as he stood and began to walk to the bag with their rations inside. He was about to grab a sleeve of crackers when Kaito interrupted him. 

"Look! I found a cellar entrance!" He said giddily. "Maybe they have some canned foods we can eat." He thought aloud blissfully while Shinichi chuckled, Straightening and putting his hands into his wrinkled pockets. 

"It would be nice to have something other than crackers." The detective agreed with the thief. "When is the best time to go?" He asked steadily as he felt himself break out into a cold sweat and his head throb. "My blood sugar isn't going to stay where it needs to be if I keep eating these damn crackers and candy." He told Kaito with a grimace and he walked shakily back over to the bed and sat down heavily. Kaito noticed this and offered him another candy which he produced with a flourish of fingers. He was beginning to run low on them and it was only the second day. Shinichi accepted it gratefully.   
Kaito looked at Shinichi with a serious look leveled at him for a moment. 

"Stay here Shin. I'll go grab food. You need to stay here and rest." Shinichi was about to protest when Kaito noticed the book next to him and smiled. "Come on, take a break and read a book, you Holmes nerd." Shinichi blushed deeply at the teasing tone Kaito used but huffed and reached for the book. When he picked it up and was about to open it Kaito stood. "Good! I'll be back in a few." He nodded to Shinichi as he picked up both of their bags and turned to head out. The plans had rolled back up onto themselves and were sitting at Shinichi's feet. 

After Kaito left, Shinichi lifted the castle plans up and took it upon himself to memorize every nook and cranny of the building’s layout before he began reading the notes that coincided along the border of the plans. The floors changed around consecutively every four hours. They changed six times every day. At midnight it was how it was originally made. At O four hundred the floors shifted so that the first floor became the second and the fourth became the first. At O eight hundred they were exchanged again so the fourth was now the second and the third was now the first. At noon, the floors changed yet again so that the original 2nd floor had now become the first floor and the original 1st floor was now the 4th floor. At sixteen hundred, the floors became more intricate than before. The first floor was indeed the first floor but right above it was the fourth floor and above that the second and then third. At twenty hundred, the floors changed yet again, donning the original first floor as the top floor descending to the original third floor, then the original fourth followed by the second as the newest ground floor. Then, finally, when midnight fell again, the floors returned to their original form.   
This was a lot of information to take in and took quite some time to even begin to memorize before Shinichi finally submitted himself to writing out a diagram in his mind. By the time he heard Kaito's footsteps could be heard slamming the stone in a desperate chance at escape, he had managed to memorize most of the map. Shinichi glanced up from the map that he was rolling up as he heard the thief's soft steps hurrying down the hall across the southern courtyard. He was surprised when he saw the young magician dive through the barrier, both bags cradled against his chest as he rolled to a stop on the grass. Right after he had stopped in a slump on the grass, a ferocious roar came from the doorway he had run through and the demon from before had blown through the door. One of its scythe hands dug into the ground to stop itself as it had lost its prey once more. Shinichi let out a surprised curse and scrambled to his feet to help Kaito who looked very exhausted. His face was ashen, sweaty and his eyes were clenched closed in pain. Shinichi clenched his jaw tightly as he leaned down to inspect the younger man. 

"Kaito, are you alright?" He asked in a light panic, throwing his head up to watch the demon disappear back through the door. Kaito coughed and sat up, the bags dropping to the ground in front of them, spilling out canned food as he hadn't had time to cinch the bags closed. The magician coughed more before he finally calmed down and sat there panting and looking up at Shinichi with a nervous smile.   
"I almost got beheaded." He started wearily and Shinichi felt his stomach knot up. "But I got your food! Now you can keep your blood sugar up, right?" He asked, perking up a bit to try and cheer his counterpart up who was upset by all that had happened. 

Shinichi looked down at the bags of food, noticing that there was a large variety of foods including canned fish. He felt his heart flutter at the fact that Kaito, the fully grown adult afraid of all finny things, had taken it upon himself to pick up some canned fish to bring back to Shinichi. The detective couldn't help himself as he wrapped his arms around Kaito's still recovering form, who flinched in surprise at the action. The hug was gentle and a bit awkward, but Shinichi rested his forehead against the top of Kaito's head and couldn't stop smiling. 

"You dumb thief." That was all he managed and let out a sigh he hadn't known he'd been holding. The thief chuckled beneath him, prompting more out of Shinichi. "I'm glad you came back alive." He added and pulled away. Kaito looked up at him with a grin so big it closed his eyes. There was a small blush on his cheeks as he ruffled his hair. 

"Hey. If I hadn't gotten you food, you wouldn't have lasted much longer on crackers." Kaito only joked, but they both knew that would have been the inevitable fact. Shinichi wasn't in the best condition. He was declining in these circumstances instead of getting better. They could both tell but didn't want to admit it. "Why don't we go eat an early dinner?" Kaito provided and after a moment, Shinichi nodded. They both sat down in their bed, Shinichi carrying a bag and Kaito carrying another. Both bags were rather heavy, at least forty pounds each with all the food Kaito had collected.

"How did you manage to run back that fast with all of this weighing you down?" He asked as he opened a can of fish. Kaito had to scoot away to keep from gagging, his face hard in silent horror, but grabbed a jar of preserved peaches out of his bag and tore the lid open before answering. 

"When my dad was Kaitou KID, he kept a lot of tricks on him at all times." He began explaining, grabbing a fork he had salvaged from the cellar as well. "Following in his footsteps, you get used to carrying all your tricks up your sleeves, and moving around easily with it all is another perk." He finished while tipping the jar back and drinking some of the syrup preserve before stabbing a peach with his fork. Shinichi studied him closely, and now that he looked closer, the magician did move a lot more silently when he wasn't weighed down by his tricks. He found himself imagining what type of physique the other male would have under the clothes he was wearing. Did he look like Shinichi used to? Was he better sculpted? The blush that crawled onto his cheeks was blatantly seen by Kaito whose eyes widened as he looked away hurriedly. 

"S-so why are you a thief anyway?" Shinichi suddenly asked the magician who choked on a peach almost spitting it out but covering his mouth. He swallowed the partially chewed fruit before taking a lung full of air and coughing the syrup from his lungs. Shinichi watched in silence, equally surprised by the younger man's reaction. It took a moment and a dark blush from Kaito who was bothered by the sudden interest in his night job.

"You really wouldn't be interested." Kaito tried to offer as an excuse but Shinichi gave him a nonplussed look which told Kaito to try again. Kaito swallowed and picked up his water, a bit uncomfortable. Should he tell the detective the truth? Would he be able to notice a lie? He always lied. It was what protected him and those around him. Shinichi lifted an eyebrow in silent inquisition before Kaito finally sighed. As many showdowns as they'd had, it made sense to tell the detective the truth. 

"My dad was murdered," He began and Shinichi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I guess I should go back to where it all began." He settled back onto the bed, leaning his forearms back and looking up at the beautiful afternoon sky. "Eighteen years ago my mom and dad met at the top of Toto Tower. My mother was being forced to steal by a man who was selling the counterfeits online. It was… a situation I had the pleasure of becoming familiar with not long after becoming KID. Since that night that my parents met, my mom retired and my dad took over the limelight." Kaito shrugged and flopped down onto the bed with a faraway look, his face solemn. "There's an organization that is looking for a jewel that creates immortality. My dad wanted to find that jewel in my mom's place to protect her. In the end, one of his magic tricks went wrong during a show. Something that rarely happened anymore. My dad lost his life in that accident, but…" Shinichi listened, his hands working at the canned fish. "I've learned a few things since taking on Kaitou KID," Kaito said finally before standing up. "In the end, I guess I could have just said 'cuz I'm following in my dad's footsteps' but, in reality, I want to find that jewel Pandora and crush it." He said suddenly serious, his eyes narrowed at his hands in front of him. "Humans should never have the opportunity to hold something so powerful in their hands. Something capable of granting immortality." He finished looking over at the detective who was finishing the can of fish. His skin crawled at the thought of eating that much of the finny thing inside, but luckily he wasn't the one eating it. Shinichi noticed his shiver as well as his deeply disturbed look and gave him a smirk before throwing the can into their trash pack. 

"This organization that you mentioned," Shinichi began as he drew Kaito's attention. "They wouldn't happen to all dress completely in black, would they?" He asked wearily causing the Phantom Magician to cross his arms and open his mouth in shock. 

"They do, but what would you know about that?" He was honestly curious. Shinichi hummed in amusement while his trademark smirk settled onto his face and Kaito felt his heart skip a few beats. 

"They're the same ones who turned me into Edogawa Conan." Shinichi didn't think he'd ever seen so many confusing emotions fly across the thief's face. His brows creased slightly in worry before he continued. "They're called The Black Organization. They specialize in assassination and biogenetic engineering." He explained seriously causing Kaito to pale significantly. "I've managed to corrupt most of it, but there are still some members left. Vermouth, for sure, is still running around." He said smiling ironically at the memory of the woman who called him Silver Bullet. Kaito gave him a confused stare before Shinichi continued. "The fact that they're looking for a magical jewel is surprising to me though considering real magic doesn't exist." Shinichi finished making Kaito raise an eyebrow as if to say 'really? You say this now?' causing the detective to glance around at their surroundings. "Though I suppose my opinion on that has changed a bit in the last few days." He mumbled, causing the magician to give a slow understanding nod while crossing his arms. 

"So, do you have any idea what they're after when they get this jewel?" Kaito asked, having wondered himself for what seemed like years at this point. His counterpart, unfortunately, shook his head.   
They spent most of that afternoon talking about the black organization after that. Many stories were shared, near-death and not. Shinichi told Kaito about all the times he'd ended up in the hospital as Conan which made Kaito less enthusiastic about the conversation, but he offered his own gruesome stories in return. 

"The worst part of returning to my own body after so long is that I've lost a lot of body mass," Shinichi explained sadly as he shrugged farther into his turtleneck. Kaito hummed sadly across from him but smiled. 

"Ran doesn't care about that though, does she?" Kaito asked suddenly causing Shinichi to give a startled jerk next to the thief. 

"R-Ran…" Shinichi repeated her name sadly but smiled at the Phantom Thief nonetheless. "Things changed too much between us. I suppose I spent too much time around her as Conan." The detective's face resigned as he spoke. "I'm not sure it's her who changed," Shinichi admitted and gave a sad grin to Kaito as compensation for the sudden change in conversation. Kaito simply looked at that sad face before closing his eyes. 

"Do you regret not telling Ran how you felt before you changed into Conan?" He asked slowly. He expected a delayed response, but when a few moments passed and Shinichi still hadn't made a noise, he opened his eyes and settled his gaze on the other man's form. The sleuth was looking down at his hands, frustration furrowed into his brows. 

"Actually," Shinichi began slowly. "No." The word fell from his lips hollow and almost sad. "I guess I should feel bad for saying that, but no. Not after everything that's happened between her and Conan. Not after getting her wrapped up in my life, time and time again." He confessed with a defeated look. The birds were beginning to settle down into their nests for the night, including the doves who had all settled on Kaito's winter coat for the night, as the sun turned to sky gradient colors. It made both men's skin alight with an orange hue. Kaito felt himself let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. A hand Shinichi always remembered to be clad in white was now sitting atop his head. Mirth filled Kaito's eyes as he saw the look of disgruntlement on the older man’s face. 

"I'm glad you don't feel bad about it. That means I don't have to talk sense into you." Kaito finished with a grin. This made Shinichi blush even though he tried to keep himself from doing so. 

"I'm fairly sure I have more sense than you, KID." He snapped back hurriedly and bit his lip at the nickname. Kaito's hand flinched though it was barely noticeable. 

"I thought I told you to call me Kaito?" The younger adult urged while withdrawing his hand. His face feigning hurt. "Just because you know I'm KID, doesn't mean you have to stop calling me by my real name," Kaito explained as a matter of factly while crossing his arms. Shinichi flushed deep red at the magician's behavior. It was certainly quite different from how the phantom thief acted. Was this how the man was normally without wearing the phantom's mask? "Besides…" Kaito continued catching Shinichi's attention as the grin on the thief's face turned into that smirk that made Shinichi's heart flutter. "Both my alter ego and I am technically Kaito." He reminded the detective making a rose appear in his hand with a flourish of his hand. The rose was just as blue as Shinichi's eyes. "And we're both the world's greatest magicians!" He boasted with a puff of his chest after the other adult had taken the rose with a nervous hand. 

"You're a lot more… idiosyncratic than I thought you would be," Shinichi confessed and this made Kaito grin with a small blush of his own. It wasn't that cold in Eden, why were their faces so red? Neither thought those feelings through at the moment. "You just go at your own pace." Shinichi continued his observation and Kaito chortled. 

"I get that from my mom." Kaito provided and Shinichi agreed with a nod and hum. He had seen how gung ho Chikage had been to get to the castle even after she'd known how large the property was. Shinichi remembered that both of his parents had been thieves and magicians.

"So if you get your whimsicality from your mother, what did you get from your dad?" The detective asked the question without even really thinking about it. Kaito grew serious very suddenly but it was a thoughtful expression before he grinned.

"My talent for magic?" He mumbled very seriously before chuckling. "Or maybe it's my love for putting a show on for others." He added before throwing himself back on the bed. "It's hard to know how to compare me to someone who's been gone for eight years." Kaito's voice was thick with emotion but he hid it well under his poker face. They sat there for a while, looking up at the setting sun before they heard the garden come alive with the whispers of the plants and animals. This was a sign they had come to familiarize themselves with the beings of Eden welcoming themselves into the garden. 

"Ooo you boys were busy." Came a cheery voice that turned out to be Haniel when they turned their heads. Her golden hair was floating around her as she happily pranced through the garden, petting flowers on her way past. Each prance she looked like she was floating on the moon. She floated with each step. Kaito thought she looked too beautiful to be a demon. 

"We're done for the day." Kaito supplied, earning a hum of agreement from Shinichi as they watched the three otherworldly beings float around and tend to the garden. Sariel made her way over to the pond, her feet hidden under her kimono. 

"That's wonderful! Have you already eaten dinner?" Haniel chirped gleefully as she grew closer to them. Kaito and Shinichi looked over at the food bags briefly before they caught her gaze. "You boys were running around so much last night we couldn't even talk to you about dinner." She spoke, bringing a bag of fish food from her kimono and tossing a few fistfuls in. Kaito tensed and moved away from the pond in clear fear as the koi battled for food in a fit of splashing. Shinichi ignored the movement to train his eyes on Haniel. 

"You want to make our food?" He asked seriously, doubting their intentions. Zadkiel took his graceful strides towards them with a smile. 

"We told you before, didn't we? We are on your side. We wish to help you. Haniel is a good cook and made dinner for your mother last night to be delivered to her room." He began, getting a thoughtful smile from his female companion who was tucking away the fish food. "It would be simple for her to serve two extra helpings during meal times in the castle garden from now on." He explained in finality. Both teens felt their mouths begin to water and looked at each other in uncertainty. Kaito had just risked his life for the small stash of canned goods and then this happened. The whole process seemed pointless now. Zadkiel and Haniel shared a look of understanding before the ladder nodded. 

"I'll go whip something up for that low blood sugar of yours, Mr. Kudo." She said bowing. "Mr. Kuroba." She continued her bow towards Kaito before righting herself and turning to leave for the kitchen. Sariel appeared behind them with a kind smile.

"This way, you won't have to risk your lives to go to the cellar at every meal or hoard your belongings in our garden." She explained while looking around at all of their belongings. "Oh, here." She suddenly chimed with a slim finger pointed at the grass next to their mattress. Both boys were confused by her actions but were soon transfixed in awe when roots sprouted from the ground, creating a bed frame for them to put their mattress on. Upon further inspection, there was enough space for two beds. "This is a present from all of us for making it this far. No one else ever has." She said brightly as if that wasn't an incredibly depressing comment to make. Shinichi and Kaito looked unsure, but after some discussion, they both agreed to use the frame. It would be better than sleeping on the ground, Kaito would be farther away from the fish, and they could still easily use the stone path. 

"Thank you," Shinichi told Sariel after they had maneuvered the bed into place. She bowed back to them in response and gave a polite smile back as she stroked some flower petals.

"Man I might have to go grab that other mattress after the next demon cycles out. This frame is so cool." Kaito said crassly as he threw himself atop their newly made bed. Shinichi couldn't stop the ironic chuckle that left his throat. 

"We almost died the first time we brought that one back and you want to get another one?" He asked. Kaito shrugged with a grin. 

"Why not?" He mused as he sat up onto his elbows. "It's only eight. In an hour the demons will cycle out and I'll have time to haul another one back." Kaito affirmed his belief that this was a good idea and Shinichi sighed.

"I'm sure you'll do it even if I tell you not to," Shinichi confessed and Kaito chortled in agreement.

"See? You know me so well already." Kaito teased making Shinichi turn a glare tinged with embarrassment in his direction. Oh, the thief saw that blush. Maybe a bit too far? Nah. He was enjoying every moment he spent with the detective. This was the only thing keeping him sane in a place like this. Teasing was fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✺◟(•◡• )◞✺ Go Kaito Go! Show off for your man!


	8. Day Three, Part One: Kodama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kodama (木霊, 木魂 or 木魅) are spirits in Japanese folklore that inhabit trees. The term is also used to denote a tree in which a kodama supposedly resides. The phenomenon known as yamabiko, when sounds make a delayed echoing effect in mountains and valleys, is sometimes attributed to this kind of spirit and may also be referred to as "kodama".

Sleeping on a bed frame made of tree roots was something that Shinichi and Kaito hadn't expected they would do. It was spine-tingling that every time one of them tossed or turned the frame would sway gently as if comforting whoever was in distress. It took a long time before either of them actually fell asleep. Once asleep though, both men slept far more peacefully than they ever had in the past. Kaito didn't think he had ever slept so peacefully before. 

Shinichi was surprised at how alert he felt after waking up that morning. The fact that they both had more room on the bed helped now that there were two mattresses. What hadn't changed that morning was how they had woken up. Though their bodies took up both mattresses which seamlessly fit together, they were both towards the center, wrapped up in each other's arms. Shinichi was lying on his back, his legs sprawled out on the large surface. His left arm was thrown out off the side of the bed, his head barely on the pillow he'd asked Kaito to salvage the night before. His other arm was cradling Kaito's waist as the magician curled into his side. One of the thief's legs was thrown over Shinichi's right hip as he was still in a deep sleep. Kaito’s leg was just barely brushing up against his morning wood which made Shinichi swallow and fight not to shiver. He raised his hand to brush his bed head out of his eyes, looking more like the thief in the morning than any other time of day. Kaito was using the detective's chest as a pillow instead of the original one they'd had to play "rock, paper, scissors" for the first night. The small sigh that Shinichi let out as he pondered on waking the magician made the one in question stir. The detective couldn't stop the erratic beating of his heart, embarrassed that the male on top of him would no doubt hear the change in pace. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the throbbing between his legs. Why was this bothering him so much today? It's not like he was…

The thought was cut off before it started as Kaito breathed in deeply beneath him, signaling that he had regained consciousness. So much for calming his heart. He couldn't pretend to be asleep. He couldn't pretend as if he were just waking up either. And now that he thought about it, the more aware he was of his surroundings, the more he noticed a problem of Kaito's prodding him in the hip bone rhythmically. It made his member twitch which made him blush more. Why was he so sensitive? He cursed himself for even having to deal with something like this in the morning. They were both men after all, but he could control himself under any other situation. Before he could dwell on it more, he could feel Kaito's breath catch. 

"Morning." Shinichi started, unsure of what he should do. Kaito went stiff under him as he felt his member throb in retaliation to Shinichi's. 

"Shinichi…" Kaito began almost incredulously as Kaito sat up. Shinichi let out an unsure chuckle.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you. Now look what's happened…" He finished as both of their members throbbed. They both blushed deeply, not quite looking at each other as Kaito removed himself from the brunette underneath him. 

"I-its not your fault. I need to stop clinging to things in my sleep." Kaito confessed while covering his blushing face with one hand. Shinichi sat up onto his forearms to get closer to him.   
"You can't be aware of what you do in your sleep. I toss and turn too you know." He sympathized making Kaito let go of his face with an embarrassed grin. 

"As always, you're right." Kaito acclaimed as they both settled down. Shinichi scowled after a moment. This caught the magician's attention making him perk up in curiosity. "What is it?" He asked innocently. Shinichi's expression quickly changed to surprise, then panic, then embarrassment. Kaito was constantly amused by the open lack of control Shinichi had over his emotions. It took a while before Shinichi spoke. Kaito could tell that Shinichi was lying from the beginning, but said nothing. 

"Ah, I was just remembering all the times we'd had showdowns together and…" Shinichi trailed off, a blush settling on his face. "How I always looked forward to the next heist." He said looking at Kaito who blushed at the offhand compliment. Noticing his reaction, Shinichi cleared his throat with a blush of his own. "D-don't get the wrong idea. I'm still going to catch you on a heist one of these days." He added to calm them both down. It seemed to work as Kaito's face reddened less as he grinned. 

"Right!" Kaito exclaimed as he sat upright on the bed, looking around at the garden.

His lungs breathed in the crisp dewy air. Shinichi wasn't as interested in the garden. His gaze was on the thief in front of him. The morning sunlight lighting his brown hair aflame with golden highlights. His clothes were rumpled and wrinkled from two days of running and sleeping. His hair was frazzled and even more of a mess. Shinichi could see the small knots that Kaito never bothered to brush through unless he was nervous. It made a smile appear on Shinichi's face. How could someone who looked so much like him, look so different? Be so… beautiful? Features just a tad more boyish than his own. Eyes more violet and slightly wider than his own. A color Shinichi found that he liked far more than his original favorite color. But when did these things become this way in his eyes? Was it when they had fallen out of the gazebo and he had accidentally touched things he shouldn't have? Or perhaps it had been when Shinichi was about to lay everything on the table with Ran and the Magician had appeared to save his hide at the last second all because he had simply aided his dove. The simplicity of his own actions received such overwhelming reactions that he didn't know if the thief had been serious. 

The thought made nervousness coil in his stomach. He knew what these feelings were. The warmth underlying his cheeks, the unease in his stomach that wasn't necessarily unpleasant but something he wasn't used to. No matter how much he tried to push them down, he knew these feelings. He'd felt them with Ran once upon a time. Before he had become Conan. Now he was beginning to feel them for the magician? Shinichi's head buzzed, thoughts melting away in realization. There couldn't have been a worse time for him to assess his feelings. They were stuck in a castle fighting demons and people that used real magic. This was shocking enough. Shinichi could barely handle that information. Now it turned out the overzealous magician had been the chivalrous thief in white. The two opposing sides of the young man had come together for a surprisingly perfect combination. The thief, over the last three days, was as Shinichi had come to know; A jubilant, magnanimous, analytical, and inquisitive person unlike either man he showed himself to be on either side of his life. At least, from what Shinichi had observed. It was something Shinichi had never thought he'd see, but these feelings were confusing to the detective of the west. He hadn't thought he was gay after all. Not even bisexual. He never looked at other men. As he pondered more he realized he never really looked at women either. He tried to tell himself he didn't need those feelings, but wow if that thought didn't dig an empty hole into his gut. So then, maybe he did? The conflict of his mind and heart gave him the beginnings of a headache. Just as he was about to continue to contemplate on his feelings about the thief, the man in question hopped off the bed with as much zeal as he had the first day they'd arrived at the castle. In a flurry of white and wings, his doves sailed out of the sakura tree to welcome him, feeling comfortable enough to leave the tree after hiding when he had originally let them out to stretch their wings when they'd first gotten to Eden. The action surprised the detective of the west as he sat up the rest of the way and swung his own feet off the side of the best to survey his surroundings. 

They had managed to organize their belongings that they'd acquired since Sariel had so graciously reminded them this was the three beings garden. The cans were all returned to their proper place, via Zadkiel, who despite his age had picked the bags up with little effort and floated out of the garden. Kaito had tied the floor plans closed and hid them on his person, which Shinichi had been impressed with. The compliment he'd given the magician was more than enough to make the ladder grin wide. He was sure at the time a small blush had also been present above that grin. After they had eaten some canned food for breakfast, Shinichi and Kaito were surprised by Chikage, who had had enough of being stuck in her room and was sneaking around the castle. She met the boys by the pond where Sariel had created a small table and chairs out of the great Sakura trees' roots, just like the bed.

"It's nice to see you two boys doing so well." Chikage mused as she sipped some tea that she'd brought with her. 

"Doing so well? Mom I almost got my head cut off and Shinichi had his arm torn open by Alice in Wonderland!" Kaito exclaimed, slapping a hand on the table. Chikage waved it away. 

"And despite that, you're still alive!" She cheered cheekily. "Look at the beautiful stitches you did on his arm too! There's nothing we can do about the situation we're in. May as well make the most of it." She said, sipping her tea that Haniel had brought her. "Which I see you two already have." She said as her gaze meandered over to where the pile of canned and jarred goods had been by the bed. The empty spot on the grass let her know just how much they had brought back. Kaito and Shinichi both nodded before silence fell over them. "Have you heard from anyone else who has entered the castle?" Chikage suddenly asked as she carefully put her cup onto its saucer. Both boys' faces turned grim which was all that Chikage needed to understand the situation. 

"Those people from before," Shinichi began as the wind rustled his hair. "They told us that no one had ever been able to find this garden before." He explained in a solemn voice. "It's not as if we can see it from the halls. Everything is blacked out in this world." Shinichi provided as he watched Kaito produce the house plans from his person in a flare of hands and a puff of smoke. Chikage's eyes brightened as he revealed the contents of the plans onto the round table. Kaito was the next to speak.

"These halls are nothing like the ones in the castle you're in, mom." He explained as he began to point out all the floors and times they had switched around. Shinichi watched Chikage as she smiled down at the paper as casually as she would a magazine in a waiting room. Kaito definitely got a lot of his mannerisms from his mother. After they had finished going over the castle, Chikage sat back in her lawn chair and sighed. Her arms were crossed over her shoulders. She looked dejected, but barely so. 

"Look at what a mess I've gotten us into." She said after a minute. "If your dad were here, I'm sure he'd already had a plan on how to get out of here." Chikage mused as she looked up at the morning sky. It was becoming early afternoon as the sun continued its ascent. Both males grew quiet at the mention of Kaito's father. Shinichi was the first to recover from the silence. 

"Trading one Kaitou KID for another doesn't seem so bad." The comment surprised Chikage, who's widened eyes were fumbling in between both idiots. Kaito blushed and refused to meet his mother's gaze.

"Care to explain yourself Kaito?" She asked in honest surprise. The lack of anger in her voice surprised both men. Kaito's hand came up automatically to rub the back of his head. 

"It's hard to keep it a secret when I'm fighting magic mom." He confessed openly and received a tsk in response. 

"And to think your father told you every day-" Chikage began and Kaito finished for her. 

"Never forget your poker face." He said with the moonlit thief's dashing smirk. The exchange between parent and child left Shinichi amused and with a slight fluttering feeling in his stomach when he looked at the thief. 

"Well," Chikage said as Zadkiel came out of the woodworks to fill her tea. "Aww thank you Zaddy." She said and the man who was currently wearing a butler uniform flinched at the nickname. He merely bowed tensely and turned to leave. Shinichi thought he could see the flicker of the kimono as if it were an after image. It made his head hurt, so he looked away from the retreating figure to pay attention to the continuing conversation. 

"...makes it easier for both u'you." Shinichi listened in halfway through Chikage's sentence. "You two can stay here while I work on finding out more 'bout the two necromancers." She explained. "Seems you two could use a small break." She explained sipping her freshly brewed tea and glancing down at Shinichi's stitches which were showing below his rolled-up long-sleeved turtleneck. His jacket was resting on the back of his chair. Shinichi unconsciously covered his arm with a scowl. 

"It would be nice." Shinichi began. "Part of me feels as though we shouldn't just be sitting here." He finished looking at Chikage who smiled sadly. 

"I know how you feel. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do right now. I understand that you wanna solve this case, detective of the west, but you need ta understand that magic is something that cannot be easily explained." Her words sank into Shinichi's stomach and created an unsettling feeling. "Our lineage is just as old as elemental magic users, but as magicians, we don't know the first thing about how they use their magic." She explained seriously. "It's something completely unfounded by magicians. I guess you could say…" She paused and looked down at her tea. "It's like cheating." She said after a moment. Kaito grew serious at this comment as well. "As magicians, we believe in the magic that makes people smile. We believe magic can be used to make others happy." She said and as an example Kaito pulled some colorful scarves from his sleeve and made them disappear into thin air behind him, surprising the detective. Despite himself, a smile made its way to his face. "All other users, hone their skills from certain elements of the earth." She continued as Kaito settled down. Shinichi turned his attention back to the woman as she spoke. "Outside of this, magicians have been trying to figure out how they hone these skills for generations." She finally finished. This was certainly a lot to take in. Shinichi had just learned that magic, aside from Kaitou KIDs magic, actually existed. Unease wriggled just under his skin causing Shinichi to shift nervously in his chair. Chikage noticed and smiled broadly at him. "Luckily you two won't leave the garden from now on unless it's important right?" She asked. Kaito nodded, glancing over at Shinichi who had hesitated before he nodded. 

"Maybe," Shinichi clarified after a pause. "I want to go back to the infirmary to get painkillers and see if they have antibiotics. My arm is getting infected." He explained touching the freshly bandaged wound. Kaito's smile dropped from his face for only a breath before he grinned again. 

"Don't worry about that Shin, I can go get you some of the vials and you can look at them here." Kaito began and would have continued but Shinichi turned his increasingly frustrated look at the thief.

"You don't have to protect me. This place does have a way to work around it. You're not the only one who knows how to handle it." Shinichi explained crossing his arms. The entire time he'd been talking, Chikage's smile had grown into a small grin of her own while Kaito began to raise his hands in defense. 

"Alright, alright." Kaito conceded in the end with a defeated look. "I-I'm just worried that's all," Kaito confessed with a slight blush on his cheeks while he scrubbed the back of his neck. This made Shinichi embarrassed of course, as he felt his own face become hot. Chikage couldn't help but raise both of her brows in amusement at the exchange, knowing full well what was going on, but leaving it for them to deal with as it wasn't her place. 

"Well!" She said suddenly as she rose from her seat. "How about I get along with my plans then?" She piped up over the awkward silence between the two. Both males looked at her in surprise. "Despite what you two might think, I brought a few of my own things to do while Mr. Kudo was looking around the house. Now I'll also be investigating the Necromancers of course." She said with a kiss blown at her son. "Bye now!" She cheered as she waved a delicate hand behind her. Both young adults sighed in defeat at her sudden departure before looking at her half-finished tea. 

"Are you going to finish that?" Shinichi asked as Kaito was reaching for the cup. The messy-haired magician nodded with a grin as he picked the cup up. 

"Waste not, want not." Kaito quoted before he took a sip. The warmth of it soothed the chill inside him from sleeping outside. He sighed after a few seconds of sips. Shinichi tried not to blatantly stare out of the corner of his eye while he rolled up the floor plans again. 

Maybe he would ask Zadkiel to get him some coffee as well? It felt odd asking things of the three dwellers of Eden. The last fifty hours had shown Shinichi that they weren't any breed of demon unless demons ranged in appearance that much. Everything about this place felt odd, off to Shinichi and he didn't enjoy not being able to put all the pieces together even after all this time. He knew that he felt at peace in Eden, unlike how lost and confused he felt inside the actual castle. There was a sense of being at one with himself when he was here, even when he'd felt on edge the first two days they had been there. Now that he felt a bit more comfortable in Eden, it was like waking up in a dream. As if nothing seemed real. The flowers seemed alive, the plants, the trees. Everything seemed to welcome them. As if asking them to stay for a while. To rest. 

"Why don't you go grab the medications?" Shinichi offered suddenly as he stood. "I think I need to lie down for a while." He admitted as he looked over at Kaito who was finishing his tea. Kaito looked at him curiously for a minute, wondering why the detective had changed his mind before he slowly nodded. Zadkiel popped out of the door to the guest living room to retrieve the empty cup, giving them both a bow before continuing back to the kitchen. Kaito prepared for his trip, having Zadkiel bring him a bit of breakfast before he decided to toss the sacks over his shoulder which were empty for the coming trip. Shinichi was sitting on their bed, the sheet of paper in one hand, herbs in the other. When Kaito caught Shinichi's gaze as the detective paused from his reading, Kaito gave him a grin. Shinichi gave him an encouraging smile. "Come back in one piece." Shinichi joked to which Kaito laughed. 

"You never know, I may come back with a haircut." He said before producing his card gun from a pocket. "Don't worry though, I'll come back for you," Kaito said before realizing his own words. Both men blushed at the implications. Shinichi had noticed the feelings inside himself, no doubt about that, but it had taken him a while to notice the thieves’ feelings for Shinichi. He had originally thought they were just teasing comments. Things that Kaito did because he knew the detective grew flustered easily. But as Shinichi grew tired of getting frustrated and they both sat in embarrassed silence he began to wonder why the thief acted as he did. Perhaps it was for the fun of it. But Shinichi doubted that. He looked almost as flustered as Shinichi when they had woken up. 

Thoughts were cut short as Kaito turned with a wave behind him similar to his mother's as he made his way to the foyer, hoping to catch the infirmary while it was still on the third floor. As Kaito disappeared through the doorway Shinichi picked up the paper with the salve ingredients with a resigned look. He had picked it up thinking it may be useful, but somehow he didn't think he'd be using this. Maybe he would save it and give it to Kaito. It seemed like something he would appreciate more than Shinichi himself. So after tucking it back into his pocket, Shinichi threw himself into the mattresses, shivering when he felt the bedframe shift and sway underneath his weight. His eyes fixated on the cloudless sky above him. Birds flew in a V formation high in the clouds above him. He wondered if the doves Kaito had were trained enough to make the trip as a carrier pigeon before he tossed the idea. There was no way Kaito would risk his pets that easily. As thoughts collected inside the detective’s head, his legs spread out on the bed, soaking in the warm sun. A yawn crept up his throat and made him yawn so violently that his eyes watered. Perhaps a short nap was in order. He was, after all, supposed to be napping. 

Shinichi woke up to someone lifting his arm and unwrapping the bandage that was held around it. Groggily, he tried not to panic before he opened his eyes. He was immediately met with violet-blue orbs smiling at him. Shinichi was surprised when his eyes simply closed again, taking in Kaito's gentle touch. 

"It took longer than I thought, but I brought back antibiotics and even some pain killers." Kaito was out of breath as he spoke, but not as out of breath as if he had just been running. Shinichi assumed he'd taken a small break before he began tending to the detective’s arm. With a glance at Kaito's watch, he noticed that Kaito had been gone for over four hours. The shock of that realization made Shinichi sick with guilt. He'd passed out for that long and Kaito had been out there for that long... by himself?

"You just got back?" Shinichi asked as the magician's violet orbs focused on the work between the two men. 

"Yeah, I had some uh," Kaito paused with a sour look."...problems with one of the… f-finny demons." Kaito's hands shook at the memory but he managed to put down the wrap to take the gauze off. Shinichi laid there, foggy with sleep and in pain as the gauze peeled off with red discharge mixed with a bit of yellow. He didn't notice how the thief's face fell, poker face having been forgotten for the time being. "This looks bad," Kaito said after a moment. "We should have gotten the antibiotics when this happened." He explained further looking at Shinichi with concern filling his blue-violet orbs. Shinichi perked up a bit at this, opening his eyes he hadn't known he'd closed. Looking over at his arm that was level with his eyes, he saw just how bad his infection had gotten. The surrounding skin was red and swollen, yellowing in some areas, and the immediate wound was leaking yellow fluid, slowly dropping down his arm when the bandage was removed. It was no wonder he was feeling tired and now that he focused on himself more, his skin was feeling a bit clammy. 

"Looks like you'll have to keep an eye on me then.." Shinichi said with a tired laugh. Kaito looked nervous at Shinichi's state but forced his own smile, poker face begrudgingly in place for the time being.  
He set to work cleaning the wound again. The bags that the shorter brunette had brought back were filled to the brim with medical supplies. He had taken the time when he had gotten back to go over the medical supplies with Sariel and commit them all to memory. Which vials were for pain, which were antibiotics, which were anesthetics, and most importantly, which were not supposed to be used. He had taken extra care to bring those back to the infirmary and shut them as well as the rest into a drawer. That trip had been his mistake. The time it took to get back was what prompted the demon to appear in the first place.

Now that he was back in Eden in one piece he was able to assess his actions from a different point of view. He could have easily waited until the afternoon to return the vials. The urge to return them was only exacerbated by the garden dwellers’ comments of it being dangerous to Eden as well. So after dropping them off and stowing them away, Kaito had ended up needing to use the bathroom on the way back, needing to head up to the next floor and doing so as fast as his feet would take him. If he could imagine that he would get the runs from eating crackers for two days and then eating two jars of peaches, he wouldn't have imagined being stuck on a toilet inside a castle when a fish demon showed up. Thankfully he had found a large plank that neither teen had noticed the first day and put it in front of the door so he could finish his damn business, but getting out of the room and making his way back to Eden was a whole other matter. The trip had been full-blown panic and anxiety the entire trip back and then he'd ended up getting cut off in the last doorway. With another barely controlled scream, he managed to outrun it and ran into Eden by circling back around the castle halls. Ridiculous as it was, he just couldn't bring himself to do anything but run from those things, and if he didn't run he really would rather not find out what would happen. 

As Kaito finished cleaning, disinfecting, and was about to put more gauze on the detective's arm after applying another local antibiotic, he glanced up at the sound of sandals hitting the stone pathway. Haniel was approaching him, her hands folded in front of her. In between, was a small parcel, folded inside a small bit of cloth and tied closed with silk thread. She smiled when she saw him meet her gaze. 

"Mr. Kuroba," She began as she neared him. Kaito nodded to her politely with his usual grin as he put the gauze down the look at her. Airing out the wound wouldn't be a bad idea anyway. When she was close enough, she stopped, extending both of her hands with the package out to him. "Sariel instructed me to give this to you as it will help the detective's arm heal. She found the instructions tucked into Mr. Kudo's pocket. It is a salve." She explained as he took the small bundle of cloth. He squeezed it a bit, feeling it give underneath his fingers slightly before he looked up at her with a toothy grin. 

"Thank you so much!" He beamed at her as relief spread through him. This with the antibiotics would help Shinichi for sure. "Tell Sariel I said thanks too!" The magician said speedily unwrapping the salve which was packaged inside a bit of wax paper. He heard Haniel give a polite chuckle before there was a pause, clothes shifting and her sandals making 'tok' noises as she made her way out of the courtyard. Kaito grabbed a bit of cotton out of a jar he had harvested from the infirmary before popping the jar lid on and dabbing it in the salve. It was ground into a fine paste and smelled like chamomile, calendula, lavender, and plantain as well as other herbs that Kaito hadn't ever smelled before. Kaito wondered what was so special about this salve, but didn't question it as he spread some onto Shinichi's stitches. The salve seemed to steam as soon as it touched the wound and Shinichi who had been pulling in and out of sleep, flinched and opened his tired blue orbs. 

"What is that?" Shinichi asked as he looked at what was on his arm as well as what Kaito was holding. Kaito put down the salve, keeping the cotton with the bundle. As the smell of chamomile entered his nose, his eyes widened in surprise. "Is that what was in the book that I found in the study?" He asked before Kaito could explain. Kaito nodded at his question, picking up the strip of gauze to go over the wound once more as well as the wrap that he began wrapping around Shinichi's arm. "How long was I asleep?" Not sure how long he'd been out again. Kaito smiled in sympathy, wondering just how tightly strung the detective truly was under his calm demeanor. 

"Only a few minutes. Just enough for me to clean this and for Haniel to drop off the salve. Sariel made it for you. She found it on you." Kaito explained as Shinichi inspected his arm. 

"Whatever this stuff is, the pain in my arm is already gone." The detective analyzed as Kaito finished fastening the wrap on his arm. Kaito grinned. 

"Hopefully the infection will go away, but here," he assured while grabbing a small jar with a clasp on the lid. He popped it off and dumped out one small brown hard object that looked like a pill. "Sariel told me these were antibiotics, so they should help too. She told me to give one to you twice a day." He finished explaining as his counterpart lifted his freshly bandaged arm out to take the medication from him. They were immediately popped into Shinichi's mouth before a water bottle was magically produced and offered to him. The pills were washed down with a gag after there was a bitter taste left in his mouth but were taken nonetheless. He heaved himself up into a sitting position, feeling a bit better after his long nap and having his bandages changed. Kaito offered the detective a Kaitou KID grin, pulling a smile from Shinichi's own lips. 

"Thank you," Shinichi said as his fingers ghosted over the fresh bandages. Kaito's grin grew bigger, teeth showing and eyes scrunching closed. 

"Don't mention it." The moonlight magician responded candidly and stood up with a stretch. 

The brunette sitting on the edge of the bed couldn't stop smiling when he was with the magician. It was as if the world was just brighter with him by his side. The thought was incredibly cheesy and made his face warm without his knowledge. Shinichi's attention meandered off with the magician as the man in question had turned and begun wandering around the yard. His gaze following the thief over to the great sakura tree which was rustling in the gentle breeze. The tree stood many stories higher than the castle and Shinichi had to wonder just how long the tree had been sitting there. The lowest branches began at the middle of the second floor to the castle and stretched out in large swooping arms in the air, ending over the pond, just covering the bed that the two men shared. Kaito made a point to go around the large koi pond instead of using the bridge, making Shinichi smile sadly for a second before it was wiped away. Kaito reached up, putting a hand on the bark of the tree, and Shinichi was surprised when the garden started to come alive in hushed voices. Immediately Kaito removed his hand as if he had been burned and the garden slowly began to settle down. Both adults turned to each other in utter bafflement before Shinichi threw himself out of their bed. His feet carried him over the bridge and over to Kaito who was staring at his hand. They shared another look briefly, both not knowing quite what to say before Shinichi raised his hand hesitantly. With a swallow, his hand pressed gently but firmly against the bark, his hand brushing against the rough brown texture. A heartbeat later, all silence but the breeze followed. Confusion and disappointment were shared amidst the two. 

"What did you do?" Shinichi asked as his hand dropped to his side. Kaito stared at his hands unable to comprehend what was happening. 

"I'm not sure..? All I did was put my hand on it, like it…" Kaito's words trailed off as his eyes widened. '...wanted me to…' he finished in thought, unable to fully comprehend how he'd just known that the tree wanted the magician's attention. Both boys met gazes, completely confused before Kaito raised his hand to the tree again. The whispers of the garden seemed to welcome him. As Shinichi observed the thief, Kaito had to close his eyes as voices filled the air; far more clear than anything he had heard before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaito touchin' the tree like (≖_≖ ) Not sure if hallucination or ghosts...


	9. Day Three, Part Two: Divulgence

Shinichi didn't think he'd ever seen anything so otherworldly before. Watching Kaito touch a tree with his eyes closed as if communicating with it and listening to all the unintelligible voices around him was almost too much for the detective. How was it not working for Shinichi, yet somehow Kaito was making the garden come more alive than it was supposed to. The wind picked up, the garden seemed to excite at the touch the tree was given. After a moment, Kaito ran his hand down the trunk of the sakura and let his fall to his side. The garden began to settle shortly after and he took in a deep breath before opening his eyes. The shock in them was obvious to Shinichi but he doubted any normal person would notice. 

"That was…" Shinichi began, at a loss for words as was becoming a normal occurrence in this castle. Kaito didn't even look at him, only nodded. They both stood there in silence as the garden fell silent again, unsure of how to proceed. "I'm not sure what just happened..." Shinichi finally offered slowly, sure of the solution himself. Of course, he wasn't. Gardens weren't supposed to talk. Kaito ran the same hand that had been touching the tree through his hair. 

"That was so weird," Kaito said after what seemed like forever. "I-I just heard so many people talking to me." Kaito's voice seemed weaker than before. "I think I heard my dad…" he finally squeezed out as grief gripped his throat. Shinichi's sea blue orbs widened, shock evident in them as his mouth fell open. They both knew his father was dead. There was no way he could hear his father's voice. "I'm not positive it was him," Kaito said, closing his hand before shaking it off and shoving it in his pocket before looking up at Shinichi with a sad look. "I don't think I wanna do that again for now." He admitted with a sad tightened voice as he looked away. The words still rang in his ears; 'Kaito… I love you…' clear as day. The tone much like his father's. 'Never forget…' The words trailed off as Kaito had let his hand fall in disillusionment. They echoed in his head. Swam around, and settled into his chest with a warm feeling. It had been so long since he had heard his dad's voice. Shinichi's brows were drawn together in a look of uncertainty, but he nodded. 

"Why don't we ask Zadkiel to make us lunch and then we can take the rest of today off?" Shinichi offered though it looked as if Kaito wasn't paying him any attention. "Haniel may have some answers as far as the tree goes." He prompted further. 

Kaito looked visibly shaken by what had just taken place but gave an apologetic smile to Shinichi as they both turned and made their way from the large tree. Kaito, who was withdrawn more so than usual, went and sat on the bed. Unsure of what to do with himself now, he simply leaned his elbows on his knees and looked at his hands. Despite the warm, welcoming feeling of the garden, the detective of the West could still feel cold uncertainty building in his fingertips, urging him to move closer to the thief to comfort him. Surely that wasn't what the thief wanted right now. Someone to explain his life story to. Someone who may bring up bad memories like the first day they arrived here. Somehow he thought that was the least of their problems though. It seemed both adults enjoyed having someone to spend their time within this horrible place. So, conflicted with his own feelings, Shinichi slowly made his way to sit over next to the magician. The other brunette put his hands over his ears for a moment before looking over at Shinichi with all the emotions that were usually hidden behind his mask showing for the detective to see. Confusion, anger, fear, sadness, but mostly resignation. 

"That was really my dad, the more I think about it," Kaito explained as he met Shinichi's worried gaze. "None of the other voices knew my name but his…" Kaito offered as Shinichi fought to keep up with Kaito's thought process. "Even now," Kaito continued, flipping a hand over on his knee to look at his palm. "He was reminding me to remember my poker face." Kaito closed his eyes to try and block out the memories of that fateful day when his father didn't come back from a show. Despite Shinichi's better thoughts, he was suddenly wrapping his arms around the other man. The shoulders he held were shaking so gently that he hardly realized it at first. Feeling his distress, the bed frame below them began to sway ever so slightly, trying to calm him as well. When Kaito felt these things happening. It suddenly reminded him that he was not using his poker face like he'd promised his father and tried to push his feelings down. He sniffed and let out his usual fake laugh. Shinichi flinched at the empty laugh and when Kaito tried to pull away, he only held him tighter. Kaito blinked in surprise. "Shin…?" The name fell from his lips a little more sad and empty than the magician had meant for it to. 

"Stop," Shinichi said suddenly as he hid his face into Kaito's shirt. "Just stop." He demanded. Kaito was quite confused. Stop what? "Stop acting like everything is okay." Shinichi pressed further as Kaito's heart rate picked up. "You can't hide behind that poker face forever. It's not healthy. Just let yourself be upset for once." Shinichi said, hugging him a bit tighter, knowing full well that he was passing boundaries of not only his own but also of Kaito's. Despite being called out for his mask breaking, Kaito didn't know if he could put his mask back on for Shinichi. He was tired. How long had it been since his father died? Eight? Almost nine years now? That was a long time to wear a mask every day of your life. "Please," Shinichi suddenly said, pulling him away from his thoughts. "I don’t think your dad would want this for you. Poker face for magic is one thing, but…" When the detective slumped his shoulders and did not continue, Kaito knew what he meant to say. He certainly had developed a bad habit of wearing his poker face in front of everyone including his own mother. Kaito was sure that as magicians, he had to have his poker face mastered to be a world-renowned magician. That was how he had always thought, but what Shinichi was saying to him now made sense. It was why he was constantly on end. It was why he always felt like laying down and simply falling asleep at the end of the day but was kept awake remembering every little detail of every mask he owned. Surely Shinichi knew better than anyone how tiring it must have been to pretend every day of his life. So when Kaito leaned his head down into his counterpart's collarbone, the sudden feeling of guilt gripped at him so quickly and deeply that he choked on air. The ball swelling in his throat welled along with tears in his eyes. 

"Shinichi…" The small noise was all the thief could manage before the tears fell the short distance to Shinichi's shirt, fading into the black material. The sudden shake of his shoulders as he held in a sob shocked the detective. "I'm so pissed…. Can't blame anyone but myself..." He said after a moment of trying to control his emotions to at least talk. "If my dad is here… what if…? What if-" Kaito fell apart into shivers trying to hold in his emotions, something that Shinichi doubts anyone had ever seen. "He was searching for Pandora. Shinichi, you should have never come here. I should have researched, surveyed better. I should have-" Kaito had pulled away as he spoke, looking at the detective with vulnerable child-like eyes and it was just then Shinichi was reminded of how young they both were. Shinichi at the older age of twenty and Kaito being just nineteen himself. Truly both of them were still too young to be dealing with things like life or death situations. It made Shinichi swallow and hold in a quiver as his adrenaline was heightened. He could do nothing to stop the magician's frantic ranting but pull the moonlit thief into another hug. It was tighter than before, effectively cutting the man’s sentence off. 

"We'll get through this," Shinichi said as anxiety gripped his stomach. He tried rubbing circles into the other brunette’s back. This was one of only a handful of times he had ever comforted someone. The concept was meaningful in its own way to Shinichi, new, but a bit more natural because he could understand the magician's anxiousness. "Together." The single word and simple action of rubbing his back seemed to help calm the crying young man as his shaking stopped and his crying slowed to sniffles. It was a while before either of them moved from their position. Shinichi released his back and that let the shorter brunette lean away. Kaito's head was facing his lap when they pulled away from one another. 

"Sorry." Shinichi felt himself say out of embarrassment before he could stop himself. This caused violet orbs to meet his ocean blue in sad amusement. 

"I'm the one who should be apologizing for falling apart like that. That's never happened before. Not since my dad… well, you know..." Kaito explained looking away again as he cleaned his face with the heel and back of his hands. The smile that crawled onto Shinichi's face was warm and genuine. 

"You can't keep up that poker face forever. There has to be someone you can be yourself around." Shinichi prompted almost lifting his hand to put it on the magician's knee, but thinking better of it and choosing to run his hands through his hair to try and hide the sudden blush that came to his face. "I mean because I know how it feels to have to be someone else." He quickly recovered still feeling slightly uncomfortable. Kaito let out a huff of a laugh once and breathed in deeply before throwing himself down onto the bed backward. 

"If I didn't know any better Shin, I'd say you're trying to get me to open up to you." Kaito tried to joke back at Shinichi, his poker face naturally coming back into place after having fallen apart. Shinichi snorted off to the side. 

"I don't try. You just naturally open up to me." The words came out as banter but Kaito blushed, turning his grin over to Shinichi. 

"It's not opening up when the person you're opening up to is a genius who knows almost everything about you from inference anyway." The magician quipped back with his laugh that Shinichi had to admit was pretty cute. The words before it however were not. 

"What do you mean 'almost everything'?" Shinichi interjected, leaning over the other boy, as Kaito's chortle turned into full-on laughter. "As a detective, that's an insult, you know," Shinichi said through his pout. Kaito only seemed to laugh harder thus causing the man above him to straighten so he could cross his arms in distaste. "Well, at least my deductive capabilities are better than your magic," Shinichi said as a small bite of a remark. Kaito on the other hand stopped laughing and threw himself up into a sitting position with a whine of Shinichi's pet name. 

"Shiiiin, that's a low blow! You know my magic is amazing!" Kaito complained as he made a blue rose appear in a flick of his wrist. Offering it to his counterpart with a pout, he watched as Shinichi tried to hide his own humored face. The rose was extracted from his hand and lifted to Shinichi's nose for a small sniff. 

"I have to admit you're better than any magician that I have seen, as of yet," Shinichi said with a small smile, watching as Kaito's eyes brightened with pride. "That doesn't mean I don't know how your tricks were done." Shinichi's smile turned sly as he watched violet orbs change from pride to contempt. 

"That doesn't make it any less enjoyable for everyone else. As long as you don't ruin the secret." Now they were both sharing similar moonlit smirks. So much like one another. Shinichi felt that warm feeling of love fill his stomach and chest, feeling his smirk soften into a smile before he could stop it. 

"You’re something else. Always making everyone smile." Shinichi found himself saying the words before he was conscious of it, blushing as soon as he realized what he had said. Kaito grinned before making an 'ooo'ing noise.

"Does Shinichi have a crush on me?" He joked completely expecting Shinichi to immediately yell at him and tell him no. 

Kaito was expecting Shinichi to call him an idiot and that he had crossed a line. He expected furrowed chocolate brows, angry blue eyes, snarling pink lips, but received none of them. Instead, after a moment of silence, when he opened his eyes he saw Shinichi blushing furiously, downcasting those lovely eyes and pressing his lips closed firmly. Despite his clear attempt at controlling his composure, Shinichi's thoughts were clear to the thief. The way Kaito's lips parted ever so slightly would have also been a surprise if the sudden lack of air and throb in his chest hadn't distracted him. The seconds stretched on as the famous thief processed his thoughts and feelings. Shinichi liked him? Kaito's heart felt like it would beat out of his chest and that wasn't normal. His face felt hot. Oh god, he knew this feeling. It was like at the end of every heist. When Shinichi would try to capture him and he would make his getaway at the last second by the skin of his teeth. The exhilaration that sped through him was enough to make him swallow hard. Grounding himself to his surroundings as Shinichi closed his eyes. 

"I think… it's gone farther… than just a crush." Shinichi forced out slowly as his blush deepened and slipped farther down his neck. 

Breathless for a second time, Kaito's violet eyes stared wide at Shinichi's flustered and vulnerable form. All thoughts were wiped with those nine words. A blush of his own was now creeping onto his skin despite himself. His brows creased briefly in confusion and then his face went surprisingly blank when Shinichi suddenly opened his eyes. With his blush still very prominent, Kaito's face was very amusing but also very confusing for the detective as his own heart began to pound into his throat. The detective of the west swallowed, trying to control himself. He was about to open his mouth to stutter, not even sure what, but uncomfortable, when he flinched into silence. Kaito had begun to raise his hands, abruptly stopping any thoughts Shinichi had. The hug Kaito initiated was quick and knocked the both of them over onto the bed with one gasp and another silent breath of relief. Shinichi didn't think his heart could beat any harder. What was going on? Was the thief relieved? Was he tackling him down so he could beat him to death? Despite his panic, Shinichi only stiffened underneath the thief. He felt the thief above him rub his face into the crook of his neck and shivered and he sucked in a breath. Okay, no beating. Why was it so hard to think?

"I'm so confused right now... but really fuckin relieved," Kaito spoke in a low voice into Shinichi's body. The breath that Shinichi had taken felt as if he hadn't even taken it. Suddenly it had become very hard to take in a breath. Relieved. Kaito was relieved. Then, as if a button had been pushed, Shinichi seemed to deflate underneath the younger man. The tension that he'd been holding in his shoulders and legs was suddenly gone. His jaw relaxed, and it was as if he could breathe even though he had a nineteen-year-old lying on top of him. All he could think of were Kaito's words. He was relieved. Relieved… The bed underneath them, taking heed that he had relaxed, slowed in its swaying, noticing that they had calmed down. Neither took note of this at the time. Then as if having just remembered the first part of what the thief had said, the former eight-year-old began to laugh softly. The jostle of Kaito's body and sound of his laugh just served to make Kaito even more confused as he raised his head from Shinichi's collarbone so he could hoist himself onto his forearms, then proceeded to look down at the detective. Before he could snap at his older counterpart, Shinichi wrapped the thief into a hug of his own.

"I think we're both very confused." Shinichi retorted with a fond smile on his face, hidden in the shorter man's hair. When Shinichi felt him try and pull away in even more confusion, the detective pulled him back firmly but gently. "You're an annoying mouse of a thief and an annoying magician… always being so pushy," Shinichi confessed holding onto the thief and laughed when he felt the Kaito stiffen in his arms. "...but you're empathetic, inquisitive, and will do anything to protect others around you." The way he felt Kaito stiffen above him was slightly satisfying but he trudged on through his anxiety, knowing there was no turning back. "I also enjoy the little things about you. Every time I see that poker face disappear. Every time I see you show little pieces of yourself around your mother." By the time Shinichi was done speaking, Kaito was laying silently on top of him, one hand fisting the detective’s already wrinkled turtleneck and the other laying uselessly on the bed next to them. It was a very long time before either of them spoke.

"You surprise me more than any tricks I could ever perform," Kaito admitted quietly in an embarrassing tone without looking at the detective. He felt Shinichi give a small huff of a laugh, not wanting to move the thief too much on top of him. Kaito continued his grip on Shinichi's shirt loosening. "You're only the second person to know every move I make without knowing my plans straight from me or gramps. And Akako uses magic. You use that big brain of yours." Kaito complimented openly causing Shinichi to blush and run his hand without injury down Kaito's back before returning it to where it had been before. The simple action made Kaito smile. "And things like this too... only my parents are ever this gentle to me." Kaito couldn't have predicted ending up like this and maybe it was the situation that exacerbated these feelings for the detective, but he hoped that they lasted for far longer than just after they escaped from this hell. 

"That's a shame," Shinichi spoke softly as his hand returned to rubbing small circles on the small of Kaito's back. "My mom and dad used to do this for me when I was younger while reading books before bed. Physical touch is important for everyone." Shinichi spoke honestly but sadly. "After I got older, these kinds of things disappeared as well. Especially once my mother started choosing jobs abroad." He said as he continued to rub Kaito's back. 

The magician's eyes closed, enjoying the air around the two. He listened to the birds’ chirp, the water in the pond ripple, and the Sakura tree rustle above them. As Shinichi rubbed his back continually, he slowly found the sounds drifting away. Shinichi couldn't fathom how this had all played out. How had he magically fallen in love with this magician? Everything surrounding the magician was filled with magic it seemed. Not only in his night duties as the phantom thief, but in his daily life. Akako and this castle led Shinichi to believe that Kaito was surrounded by magic more openly as a magician than the detective was, surrounded by the dead. As his hand made that continuous pattern on Kaito's back he closed his own eyes. Thinking about how much they had both struggled up until now, it was no surprise that Kaito hadn't had an affectionate touch like this. His mother seemed caring and gentle, but not someone who was overly touchy-feely. 

As the two brunettes took their time coming to terms with their feelings for one another, they sat in gentle silence. The breeze had calmed and the birds having settled or moved on. Within this silence, Shinichi and Kaito found a new type of peace. One where there were no words to express the feelings they were experiencing. They were nervous, sure, as this was new territory for both men; however, there was a sense of excitement deep underneath. The possibilities running through their thoughts. Slowly, as if suddenly realizing that Shinichi loved him, Kaito lifted himself off of the older adult’s form and looked down at the sea blue orbs below him. They stared straight back at him, curiosity held within them, surely wondering why the thief had removed himself from their mildly comfortable position. As if to answer his silent question, Kaito leaned down and touched their noses together in a silent sign of affection. Shinichi's eyes drifted closed as a sign of trust, not knowing what was coming next but knowing whatever it was, as long as it was the moonlit thief, he would be okay. He heard the magician let out a soft huff of a chuckle and rub their noses together for another moment before he paused. 

"Shin…" The name fell from Kaito's lips as a whisper causing Shinichi to open his eyes, the curiosity never leaving them. There was a nervous blush covering the face above the detective, causing his own face to heat up. "Can I…" He trailed off hoping Shinichi would understand the implications of the question. When Shinichi just looked at him expectantly, he swallowed, pressing forward. "...kiss you?" He finished softly, his nose continuing to brush up against Shinichi's. The sleuth blinked in surprise at the question. He hadn't expected Kaito to ask for permission. He hadn't expected to be kissed at all at the moment. Although truth be told, he hadn't known what to expect when confessing his feelings. Rejection above all else. Not a kiss for sure. The long pause seemed to be enough of an answer for Kaito as he closed his eyes and smiled before pressing their foreheads together. "No..?" He asked curiously as Shinichi finally collected his thoughts. With a shake of his head, Shinichi finally spoke. 

"No…" He began and watched the disappointment in the other adults’ eyes, quickly realizing his word and scrambling to fix his mistake. "I mean, yes." He said before furrowing his brows at Kaito's confusion. After some more stumbling over his own words, he pursed his lips with a frustrated sound. "Just… come here," Shinichi said before taking fistfuls of Kaito's shirt to pull him in for a kiss. It was far less gentle than what Kaito was expecting but so much better than what he had ever imagined. How long had he imagined the detective's lips? Imagined what they would feel like against his own. If they would be soft or rough. Whether they were damp or not. When had he realized that he even wanted to kiss those lips? Maybe it had been during one of their many cat and mouse games. Or perhaps it was another time when he had spied on the detective. Now though, he was relishing in the feeling. Shinichi's lips were soft, with bits of dry skin flaking off, but a bit damp as he had a habit of nibbling on them when he was deep in thought. They both kissed like it was their first time. All lips, no tongue, firm pressure, and only a bit of head tilt. It was, in Kaito's opinion, a perfect first kiss and as he tilted his head a bit more, Shinichi let out a sigh of relief that made the thief's head spin. The breath Shinichi let out through his nose tickled Kaito's upper lip making him shiver. It was as if he were on cloud nine. He couldn't even imagine how Shinichi felt, what he was thinking. Little did he know the sleuth wasn't thinking about anything at all, stuck in his world of bliss. As both men parted for a moment to change positions, Kaito took hold of Shinichi's face, cheeks and jaw cupped between his palms and grinned happily. 

"I've wanted to do that for a while." He said giddily and received a surprised chuckle in response.

Before Shinichi could respond, Kaito bent down and captured his lips for a second time. The hold on the magician's shirt loosened so Shinichi could lay his hands against that warm chest softly, not pushing away nor pulling closer. This kiss began similar to the first. It wasn't as if they were moving in perfect tandem, it was a bit of a process. Their lips moved easily over one another after a while, deepening the kiss together as their mouths welcomed each other. Their mouths opened, tongues brushing together, wet and warm. Though they were both inexperienced, the magician danced around the detective’s tongue as if playing a sensual game of cat and mouse. The taller of the two took that as a sign and with some concentration, joined in. It was Kaito who let out the first quiet groan, which he would have been embarrassed were it not for the equally exciting breathy groan he received in response from the man across from him. The sound of each other enjoying the caress of their tongues had their blood speeding through their veins like liquid flames. By the time they parted, they were both flushed with kiss reddened lips. The equal look of arousal in both brunettes had each of them blushing in embarrassment.

"That was…" Shinichi began as he collected himself. He ran his fingers through his hair, noticing that it was a ruffled mess. When had that happened? Kaito bit his lip as he shivered, taking in Shinichi's bothered form. Neither of them had words for what had just taken place. It was invigorating and extremely hot. Shinichi could say he'd never kissed like that before. 

"New," Kaito confessed to Shinichi as he grinned. With a look of shock and blush of realization, the detective of the west repeated the word.

"New?" He asked in question. "I was your first-" Shinichi began but was cut off by Kaito's cackling. 

"Not my first, Aoko was. You were my second. Surprised?" Kaito asked with a moonlit thief grin as his cackling died down. Shinichi wondered if the blush on his face would ever leave. It had been there for quite some time now. 

"Quit it." Shinichi scowled, though Kaito didn't take it seriously. "Kaito KID is famous." Shinichi offered while his hand raised of its own accord to touch his lips for a moment before their eyes met. It was Kaito's turn to blush. 

"Who do you think I am Shinichi?" Kaito asked with his smile turning mischievous, causing the detective to suddenly become serious himself. "I'm a phantom thief, detective." Kaito provided pointedly as he reached out and moved a piece of hair out of Shinichi's line of sight. The simple action made Shinichi's heart skip a beat. The intense gaze of the moonlit thief met Shinichi's curious and wary stare. "No one knows who Kaitou KID is except for Jii and my mom." He said and suddenly the smile on his face turned gentle. "And now you." As the words left his mouth, that same goofy grin that had shown up so many times before took its rightful place upon his lips. Shinichi's heartbeat was hard in his ears. He felt it in his temples and the tips of his fingers. A secret only he knew aside from family. 

"You've never had a girlfriend before?" Shinichi found himself asking. He pressed his lips together when Kaito's shoulders stiffened. Both became slightly uncomfortable but the tension eased just as quickly as it had come. Kaito's smile never left his face. Shinichi wondered if he was genuinely happy, or if it was simply another mask. A habit to hide his real feelings. 

"Nope. No girlfriends. Or boyfriends." Kaito added the last part with a wink which caused Shinichi to blush again. He had to look away. He wasn't even sure why. "Hey," Kaito prompted to get the other man's attention again. It worked. Their eyes met, one filled with mirth, the other with unease. "Can I hold you?" Kaito asked seriously. 

The question made Shinichi's blush worse. The thought of him consciously being held and just enjoying it was foreign. Would he enjoy it? Would the physical affections be as pointless as he thought they had been with Ran? The kiss had certainly been better. So, without another thought, he nodded gently and was scooped up into a slightly larger and firmer hug than he was used to getting from Ran. Kaito's arms were warm against his chilled skin. His arms pulled Shinichi closer until Shinichi's nose was buried into the other man's collarbone. The scent of something incredibly sweet wafted into his nose but it wasn't strong enough to be off-putting. Was this Kaito's scent? He buried his nose a bit deeper and breathed in slowly. The action made Kaito shiver and thread a few fingers of one hand through Shinichi's hair. What was this smell? He had smelled it before somewhere. Ah, right. He smelled like Botan rice candy. The thief must have had a sweet tooth. While the detective was lost in his thoughts of discovering how satisfying cuddling could truly be, the thief was reveling in how perfect his meitantei felt in his arms at full size. Certainly, he'd held Conan before but that was different. Way different than his grown Shinichi. This was perfect and incredible. It was everything he thought it would be. No… it was more. The way the taller adult nuzzled him made his heart race and body tingle. Who knew the detective would actually nuzzle him? It made the thief's head reel. He didn't know where he wanted to touch first. Everywhere seemed like the best option but he didn't have enough hands for that. So he opted for running his hands up and down Shinichi's back the same way that Shinichi had done to him. The muscle rippled in places under his palms. It made Kaito smile. The breath that he took filled his lungs with everything that was Shinichi. The antiseptic from his bandaged arm, that faint smell of coffee from the hard candies, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. The more he thought about it the more it made a large grin tug at his lips. He caught his bottom lip with his teeth before giving in to his grin. 

'He smells like old books.' Kaito thought before burying his face into the taller male’s hair. That distinct combination of grassy tones mixed with tangy acid overtones and a hint of vanilla with mustiness under it all. A smell he knew well from his time visiting libraries with his father. The smell was a comfort he never thought he would find again and filled his chest with even more warmth. They stayed like that for the longest time. Thoughts filled their heads as they simply lay there on their shared bed holding one another. The silence between them was comfortable. As if it was completely natural for them. Occasionally Kaito would rub patterns in the other brunettes back, and he would receive a nuzzle in return. That would leave them both sighing. The silence was calming for them both. The sound of each other and the garden around them seemed to immerse them in a sense of peace that neither of them had felt for quite a long time. The stress of the last few days finally caught up with the two and it wasn't long after that they fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me when Shinichi accidentally says no: (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡 ┻━┻  
> Me when Shinichi pulls Kaito in for a kiss at the end: ┳━┳ノ( OωOノ )


	10. Day Three, Part Three: Ruination

It was early evening when Shinichi awoke. Still, the first to wake up, he made a small sound and rubbed his face into the material under his face. He was met with firm, cotton material that rose and fell underneath him. There was a moment of panic before his sleepy brain remembered that he had, in fact, confessed his feelings before they had fallen asleep and that they had indeed kissed and cuddled as well. His heart raced as a common problem after any amount of sleep throbbed between his legs. Those kisses had been… well, his problem throbbed again just thinking about it. He tried to suppress a shudder to not wake the man beneath him. They had shifted in their sleep again. This time it was Shinichi who was sleeping on a thief. The detective felt breathless at the thought of the thief reciprocating his feelings. Those days of cat and mouse may have been more exhilarating if he had known the feelings behind that phantom smile. After waking up a bit more and ridding himself of his dirty thoughts that usually lingered after waking up, he carefully shifted so that his arms were holding onto the thief instead of just lying on his chest and beside the two of them. The feeling made his chest swell with a feeling he hadn't felt in a while. The warmth pressed against his cheek, his temple. It throbbed with a beat entirely its own. A beat that soothed him the more he listened. The urge to fall back to sleep was even more tempting as he lay there in the evening sun that was soon to leave the yard. It was concreted when he felt a pair of arms slither around him and press his body against the one underneath him. A pleased hum left his chest. Breaking the afternoon silence in a way that had Kaito's member throbbing and heart quickening. Shinichi's throbbed in response and he blushed in embarrassment as he was sure he'd gotten rid of it earlier. Being a male was really inconvenient at times. 

"That was a nice nap." Kaito's chest rumbled thick with sleep under the detective's head. It caused Shinichi's body to buzz pleasantly. Shinichi wasn't sure if he was nodding or rubbing his face further into Kaito's chest but it may as well have been both. "Mm, quit that." Kaito mused as he pulled Shinichi ever closer. The detective felt him nuzzle and breathe in everything that was Shinichi. It made his heart flutter. 

As if the sun was fleeing the sky, the two men could feel the cold creeping over them as the shadow of the castle overtook the garden. They both settled into silence and had begun to drift off when they heard a familiar peppy voice from across the pond. 

"Looks like you two are finally coming to terms." Chikage teased as she sipped her evening tea. Kaito blushed, stiffening and unable to stop Shinichi who was sitting upright with a reddened face of his own. "Would you like dinner?" She asked the two floundering men as one tried to get up from the bed and the other tried to cover his current erection with the flimsy blanket. Both of their faces were painted in embarrassment and a bit of shame. She laughed both of them off. "Come now you two, did ya really think that yer feelin's for one another wasn’t that obvious? It was a pain in my butt watchin' you two." She said as she watched the guilt grow. She continued to smile, her expression becoming gentle as she explained further. "The way you two work is as if your father and I were together, Kaito. It's been quite some time since I've seen you look like that towards anyone. Even Aoko." She explained as her fingers picked up a fork. Kaito's eyes were wide. Shinichi was extremely embarrassed. He didn't think he had blushed this hard in his entire life before then. "Now get over here and enjoy this food with me before it gets cold." She waved them both over with her small hand, gesturing towards the food that was laid out on the wooden table in front of her. Both men felt their mouths begin to water before they both bound out of their bed, making their way to the table with hungry looks. How long had it been since they'd had a hot meal? Two days? Three? They discarded all other thoughts as they picked up clean plates set aside by Zadkiel and began serving themselves. Kaito felt his eyes tear up as he bit into a freshly roasted lamb leg. The lump in his throat and relief in his chest were quelled as he swallowed the first piece of food. 

"So good!" Kaito drawled as he went in for another bite. Shinichi began eating with a bit more self-awareness. His plate was filled with a balanced amount of food, knowing full well if he stuffed his face with this much rich protein he'd surely be asking for it later. He had half a mind to try asking Kaito to slow down but after glancing at Kaito's mother's relieved expression, the detective chose to simply dig into his own food. The two males ate in silence while Chikage explained what she had uncovered during her time investigating the castle grounds. 

"The castle was built before the country was even discovered. This was discovered in six thousand acres of the heavily wooded area. No roads leading to or from." Both teens slowed in their eating at her statement. She nodded, her face showed her clear understanding. "Odd, I know, but not impossible. From what I managed to find out, this was the original castle that the explorers found when first excavating the land." The female magician explained as she produced a small bunch of papers from behind her back much like Kaito. Shinichi reached for the pot of coffee, pouring some freshly brewed goodness into his cup. He had never been so eager to eat before, but the coffee was something entirely different. He took his time smelling it. Both magicians across from him gave him a knowing smile; one filled grossly with food, the other partially covered by its coffee cup. Chikage continued as she lowered her cup to the table. "From what I could find, this castle has a dark history of eating anything that enters, except for one family." The moment she said the last word she set the papers on the table and both men stopped what they were doing to look down at it. 

The papers had a small photo paper-clipped to them. The photo was in black and white. It showed the castle, young in its prime, behind a small group of people. There were two people in the center, of which were unfamiliar to the trio. They looked young as if barely in their forties. Both faces sported smiles. One smile was paired to a small petite woman. She had freckles all over her face with wavy pale hair that showed white in the photo but was surely a light blonde color. The other was a taller man, eyes scrunched shut from the force of his smile. Dark hair covered one side of his face, slicked back on the other to tuck behind his ear. One arm was wound around the woman’s small frame to hold snug at her waist. The other arm was thrown onto his hip. The man looked quite prideful. Around them were people that did look familiar and that had Shinichi and Kaito sharing a wary look before inspecting the photo more. The three remaining people were the housekeepers that had greeted them. They were standing close to the two individuals in the center. All three looked younger, happier. Zadkiel wasn't even wearing his monocle. The two girls looked to be very young, but still sported the same maid outfit and overalls as they did to this day, just a different style due to their short stature.

Shinichi took it upon himself to pick up the paperwork and remove the photo from the pile along with the paperclip. They were placed on the table, though he didn't let go of them as his eyes scanned the paperwork in front of him. They were land deeds. Multiple land deeds. Beginning with the newest which was Chikage's. The oldest had two names written on paper so brittle, Shinichi was afraid to pick it up. The names were without any last names and he had to look at them and remember his foreign language classes. When he read the names, his breath left him, and didn't seem to want to return. His eyes widened as he looked up at Kaito's mother. Her expression was hard to read. Her jaw was tight, her posture tense, but she nodded with a smile. Shinichi set the papers down in front of Kaito so the thief could pick them up.  
'These papers are real.' Shinichi thought as he remembered the names, sitting back and sipping his coffee. He didn't have much time to enjoy that mouth full before Kaito had his attention.

"Adam and Eve?" Kaito's voice was filled with disbelief as he stared at the papers. "You're telling me the original owners of this castle were called Adam and Eve? Like Christian bible Adam and Eve?" Kaito said the names three times as if saying it over and over would change the facts of reality, yet sadly the names on the paper remained the same. Chikage nodded in response to her son's words. Kaito could only put the papers back down. "Are you fooling around ma?" He asked with a frustrated stare at his mother. The very seriously offended look he received shut him up rather quickly. Shinichi put his empty mug on the table and had to refrain from refilling it. He already had to use the bathroom. 

"Then we'll see what else we can figure out tomorrow," Shinichi said as he picked up his fork. "In the meantime, let's eat." Shinichi prompted as he nudged Kaito's nearly empty plate towards the thief. 

They finished their meals in peace. Zadkiel came and picked up Shinichi's mug and Chikage's plate from her dinner. Afterward, Kaito trotted off to tend to his doves for that evening. The doves flew out of the ever-blossoming cherry tree. Their wings beat the air around Kaito as they landed. Their little beaks groomed his dirty hair. Seeing the state of her son, Chikage pouted and leaned her chin on her palms with elbows on the table. 

"It would be nice if you two could shower. Even being in different dimensions, I c'n still see how filthy ya two are." Chikage confessed, causing Shinichi to blush in embarrassment. He looked down at his ruffled shirt and unconsciously tried to press some of the wrinkles out of it. It didn't work, but he tried nonetheless. He sighed, shoulders slumping with his exhale. 

"I could use a good shower." He whined as Kaito scratched a dove behind the head. It cooed at him causing a smile to form on the thief's face. Looking over at the thief, Shinichi smiled out of habit. "We could both use one." He continued before Sariel appeared from the way of the kitchen to collect their plates. She perked up at his words. A smile plastered to her face. He couldn't tell if it was fake or if she just never stopped smiling. 

"If you two would like a bath, I can prepare your water and set out towels for you." Sariel offered while her eyes drifted closed. Kaito, who had heard the word bath, perked up and in an explosion of feathers, his birds were gone. They were likely hiding up amongst the cherry blossoms once more. 

"A bath sounds awesome!" Kaito cheered as he stretched. "Baths before bed are the best." He continued while Shinichi gave him a smile with a shake of his head. Sariel tucked the tray for her dirty dishes closer to her stomach while balancing empty dinnerware in the center. The glassware clinked together as it slid ever so slightly on the plate, but stopped suddenly as she shifted her stature. 

"Very well then." She concluded with a bright smile. "I will be back shortly." She said and turned to make her way to the kitchen. Both boys and the female thief watched as she disappeared. Chikage turned to both of the younger adults, her grin showing brightly. Shinichi wondered how they could stay so chipper under these circumstances. 

"Now," Chikage began while placing her chin in the palm of her hand which was leaning against the table in front of her. This broke Shinichi from his thoughts. "Since you don't have clean clothes, would you like Haniel to mend the tears in those and wash them?" She asked as their brows rose in surprise. 

"Do we have time for all that?" Shinichi inquired as his feet carried him slowly over to where he'd left his sweatshirt. He picked it up with his good arm, thanking himself for removing it shortly before their run. It had mostly avoided getting bloodied, only a few spots on the back from when he'd lain on it in the kitchen on their first day. He was again pulled from his thoughts as Kaito's mother continued. 

"Well, 'course you do! She's speedy with sewing and washing. They even have a washer and dryer here." Chikage explained as Haniel popped out of the stonework. She was calm, smiling gently and holding two bundles of white cloth tied together with equally pale sashes. "Why do you two think I look so lively today?" Chikage continued as she held her bicep with a large grin. "Just change clothing, and she'll give them back when she's done," Chikage explained, ushering the boys who were still standing awkwardly in the middle of the garden towards the groundskeeper. How was she this happy? Had the necromancers not bothered to contact her? Either way, she looked healthy. Maybe she was doing this for moral support. Either way, it kind of creeped Shinichi out. After some thought they complied, taking the bundles; the first gingerly, the second respectfully. Looking at one another, then at their assumed yukata, they turned, and made their way to their bed to get ready for the first bath in three days. 

The water was still steaming when both boys arrived at the bathroom. Looking at Sariel who was bowing to them from the doorway, she smiled at them. They had forty-five minutes to wash, dress and make it back to the garden before the next demon was released. As long as they both washed together they would make it in time. The blushes on both men’s faces grew deeper as Sariel shut the door behind her. Despite the growing nerves, both boys disrobed, not looking at one another. Not sure when it was okay to look at each other. Kaito was the first to snort and make his way over to the stool that was situated next to the tub. 

"We're wasting time when we could be getting clean~" Kaito mused in a sing-song voice as he picked up the removable showerhead. Shinichi took that as a sign to just relax and enjoy his bath. That being said, he still felt butterflies in his stomach. After swallowing his nerves, the detective made his way over and sat down on the stool. He was about to speak when Kaito suddenly turned the water on, sending hot water all over the poor detective. 

"Kai-!" Kaito's name was cut short as Shinichi flinched down, getting drenched by the scalding liquid so suddenly that his breath left him for a moment. When he finally found it, he managed to push the showerhead away and ran his hand through his hair, pressing the water out of it firmly with his palm. To keep Kaito from continuing to spray him, he held onto the offending water emitter and sent a disapproving frown to the mischievous thief who was grinning from ear to ear. 

"What? You looked like you could use it." That earned him an even cuter glare that Kaito had to fight not to kiss the detective over. "Also," Kaito's voice was softer this time, barely heard over the water, so the magician leaned forward. It made Shinichi's heart rate quicken. "You look better this way." He purred low in a smooth voice that Shinichi only heard Kaitou KID use. It made his spine tingle, but instead of giving in as he wanted, his hand was twisting the showerhead around in the thief's hand and then Kaito was getting wet. The stream hit his side and armpit first, causing the thief to let out an offended yelp. With a satisfied grin of his own, Shinichi took it upon himself to turn the showerhead more and drench the rest of the magician. "Shinichi!" Kaito's wet whine came from under the water. Relenting, Shinichi finally let go of the showerhead and simply turned to hide the grin of satisfaction on his face when he saw Kaito wipe at his eyes for a short while. Once all the water was out of his eyes, Kaito shook some of the water out of his hair and they began the process of washing themselves off. After both were soaped up, Kaito grinned and handed Shinichi the luffa. The detective blushed, looking at him with wondering eyes. "Wanna wash each other’s backs?" He asked innocently. 

Shinichi of course blushed which made Kaito blush, but the detective took the luffa quickly and stood from the bench so Kaito could sit. He washed his back firmly with just enough pressure to scrub the dead skin away but not enough to make his back raw. It was actually kind of soothing now that Kaito thought about it. As much as he enjoyed the sensation, he was just as disappointed when Shinichi's touch left him. Turning to see why he had stopped, Kaito was met with the detective's lips meeting his. The gesture made him jump, but when Shinichi went back to massaging his chest with the luffa he could only sigh into the kiss. The rest of their bathing time they spent kissing and washing each other from head to toe. With a little less than a half-hour left, both boys rinsed their bodies and hair before they hopped into the soaking tub together. The water overflowed the tub and went into the drain in the center of the bathroom. Soft tendrils of steam rose from the drain before disappearing. Kaito sat with his back to the tub, his arms wrapped around Shinichi's shoulders as the other sank into the tub. The only limbs leaving the water were Shinichi's injured arm and head. The detective let out a sigh of relief, his chin, mouth, then nose slipping under the water followed by bubbles ascending to the surface as he exhaled through his nose steadily. Kaito's erection from their makeout session was now poking against Shinichi's back. Every time Kaito's member throbbed, so did he. The small breath that he let out was a bit harder than he would have liked. Kaito noticed it immediately and with the moonlit smile ever-present on his face, his right hand slipped from Shinichi's shoulder and dove under the water; searching.

They had nearly gotten carried away a few times, what with Kaito stroking Shinichi's member underwater. The feeling had been foreign, unknown to Shinichi but quite pleasant when the magician stroked his member. Kaito also may have eaten Shinichi's freshly cleaned hole like it was a dessert he'd never tasted before. Who knew the magician was so dirty behind closed doors? The way he made Shinichi wriggle under his fingers was pure magic, but the thought of death was cemented into their bones. After a while of heavy play, both men pulled away from one another with flushed faces and kiss swollen lips, but they looked seriously at each other when they noticed the time on Kaito's watch. They only had five minutes to make it back to Eden. 

"Shit." Kaito cursed himself for getting a bit too ahead of himself as they both dove out of the tub and began drying off. There was a knock at the door which made both males freeze. Both of their erections throbbed at the thought of being caught so openly aroused. Kaito was the first to speak up through the silence. "Yeah?" He asked and had to clear his throat when it cracked. Shinichi may have snickered at him, but when he looked over, Shinichi was simply looking over at the door pressing his lips together. As he pulled the tube shut and quickly tied it closed. Kaito followed his motion shortly before she spoke. 

"I have the clothes that your mother wished for me to mend. They have also been cleaned." Haniel spoke from the other side of the door. At the mention of clean clothes, both boys perked up. Shinichi opened the door, being the first to reach it, to reveal Haniel in all her brunette glory. She had a gleeful smile on her face as she usually did. "Thanks!" Kaito cheered as he took his clothes from her, his robe not having been properly fastened and was open a bit at the top. Shinichi at least had the sense to put his robe back on properly.

After a short moment, both boys were fully dressed and smelled fresh. Shinichi was pulling the neck of his sweater down with a small smile as he appreciated the needlework on the arm that had been sewn perfectly. Kaito was grinning from ear to ear, but with a glance at his watch, he frowned. They had a little less than three minutes. The blood in his veins ran cold, knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to run back to Eden in that amount of time. Shinichi looked at his burdened expression after finishing with his sneakers. The look made his own small smile disappear. 

"Come on," Shinichi said standing and holding out his good hand. 

The words prompted Kaito to look at the detective. The smile on his face returned as he reached out to take his hand. They turned from the bathroom that Haniel was just entering to clean before they both took off at top speed. Their feet carried them as quickly as possible down the hall, the late-night causing them to need to run down more flights of stairs than they would have to at midnight when the floorplan was back to where it was supposed to be. Both boys were breathing heavily, barely keeping up with one another. It seemed like it was taking forever and just as they reached the ground floor there was an ear-piercing roar. Kaito felt his stomach fall into his feet and his heart fly into his mouth. Despite being freshly cleaned, both boys were beginning to sweat from the effort of running. The first time they saw where the demon was, they were turning towards the door to Eden and the demon was blocking their way. 

Grey, leathery skin stretched over a skeleton as if it was cellophane over a Thanksgiving turkey that had been picked clean. With scythes for hands and no eyes or nose, the demon in front of them had been one that had nearly killed Kaito. This one was much smarter and with a swing of their bodies, Shinichi and Kaito retreated through the door behind them. With another screech, the demon lunged for them so they couldn't escape. The three steps the demon needed to reach them outmatched the two men's five running footfalls. So, when they had just reached the threshold of the castle to step into Eden, one scythe shaped hand slammed down right behind them. Right atop Shinichi's shadow.

Everything stopped. Kaito's grip on Shinichi's hand broke so suddenly that it was the last thing either of them noticed. With the momentum of their pace, Kaito passed over the threshold of Eden and turned with a whirl immediately. Shinichi, during this second, was struck with a very painful sensation in his chest that had stopped him in place in an unearthly manner. It was far worse than any bullet wound he had ever gotten. Far worse than any time he had transformed to and from his teenage form to Conan. There were no words that left his mouth. Not a final glance at the one he loved most. Not even a flinch of his hand and on his next breath in, Kaito watched in horror as the light left Shinichi's eyes. The fear and distress melted from Shinichi's face into utter shock and awe. The demon behind Shinichi tore at the stone where the detective's shadow was, limbs frantically scraping stone. The next second Shinichi's body crumbled, lifeless, to the floor in a heap as his shadow disappeared from the ground and turned to a mist that was sucked into the demon’s waiting mouth. His limbs crumbled under his weight in a way that made Kaito sick, but he couldn't look away. Couldn't stop watching how his body slowly slid to a stop on the stone. 

Kaito began shaking, though it was barely noticeable. His body and mind fought one another. Unable to breathe or blink as he watched Shinichi's shadow being consumed. His lungs cried for a breath but what was air? What was breathing? That thing began to devour Shinichi's shadow as if it was the first meal it had the pleasure of having in years. Kaito's eyes couldn't leave Shinichi's lifeless body. In mere seconds, the demon had taken the one thing that he had in this world. Had taken Shinichi. Once the shock dwindled, crumbling; his heart ached deeply, horribly. Why did it hurt this bad? It didn't hurt this bad when his father died. Tears formed in his eyes. Clouds stirred in the sky above him for the first time since he had arrived, but he hardly noticed. He could barely think. He just felt horrible, lost, numb and suddenly, he launched himself back over the barrier and grabbed Shinichi's shoulders. The demon, still intent on killing both men snarled at the magician for touching his meal and swung an arm at him. With a panicked yell, Kaito wrenched back, pulling Shinichi with him as hard as he could. Shinichi's body was extremely heavy as a deadweight; unlike when he had been alive. The fact that the detective was skin and bone did nothing for Kaito as he barely avoided the scythe. 

Receiving a cut to the bottom of his chin, Kaito let out another yell and pulled with all his strength. The lifeless body was dragged through the barrier in one solid movement to which Kaito collapsed back on the grass with something that felt like a sob but sounded more like the air getting punched from his lungs. As his tears pooled over and made tracks down his cheeks, the first drops of rain above him began to fall to the earth. Shinichi… his Shinichi. The great Detective of the west, gone.

The garden fell quiet, the sounds of animals falling silent as the sound of rain filled his ears, but he barely noticed it. He didn't notice anything but the unmoving lump on the grass and the ache in his chest keeping him from breathing. A sick feeling began to turn in his stomach. 

How did this happen? They had always been so careful. They had gone three full days without any incidents, and now… Shinichi was dead. The light was gone from his eyes. His body was lying awkwardly on the grass. Kaito curled up with him for the longest time trying to process that the love of his life had just been murdered. By a demon. His cat to Kaito's mouse chase. His love… The thoughts were too overwhelming and he wretched all his dinner onto the grass below him. He only stopped once he had dry heaved himself into exhaustion.

"Damn it…" He whispered as a rumble of thunder sounded above him, clenching his teary eyes shut and trying to swallow the lump in his throat. It didn't work. The pitiful whine that came from his throat made him want to vomit again. "Damn it!" He screamed out into the open air around him as lightning flashed and thunder crashed. The demon took its leave, having lost its meal. Kaito didn't notice it leave, only kept his eyes on Shinichi's slowly cooling body. 

The time Kaito spent on the grass in the dark was anyone's guess. When Zadkiel came into the overcast garden early that morning before the sun rose, he found Kaito bent over Shinichi's body at the foot of the cherry blossom tree. Dried tears ran tracks down his stone-cold face. Taking in the scene before him, Zadkiel merely gave a steady sad sigh and brought his arms together in his kimono. 

"I told Sariel that cleaning yourselves would be a horrible idea that late at night." He spoke, startling Kaito from the numb headspace he had receded to. It took a short while before Kaito could even meet the man's eyes. The lost, tired look that he gave Zadkiel forced the caretaker to close his eyes in pity. "This was bound to happen. It does with all humans that enter this castle." He spoke evenly, but the words curdled inside Kaito like rotten milk. They left a burning deep in the back of his head, a slight buzzing and despite biting his cheek to hold his tongue he still opened his mouth for a biting remark. 

"How can you just say things like that? He's a living thing!" Kaito snapped at Zadkiel as he felt himself becoming upset again. There was a rumble in the clouds. "You guys said you couldn't help us and yet you constantly did what my mom said! You fed us! You fixed our clothes!" He ground out as he felt tears forming in his eyes again. Clenching his eyes and teeth shut, he bent over Shinichi's cold and stiff body, unable to continue. The emotions he felt were ones he hadn't felt since his father died. The feeling of being left behind. Of being alone in the world. But this time the feelings were far stronger. Gripping his chest to keep him from breathing. He felt like an empty shell filled to the brim with sorrow. Zadkiel simply blinked down at the boy as he fell apart, then jerked in place when he felt water hit his nose. Looking up, he saw the darkened clouds, the thunder rumbling struck a chord in him, and then the rain continued to pour down heavier. The way his mouth opened then closed surprised even himself as Zadkiel closed his mouth once more and looked down at the magician in wonder. 

"You know," He began evenly and watched as Kaito flinched when he spoke. "I had wondered how you managed to enter Eden." He said as a smile began to form on that normally stoic face. Kaito didn't raise his head or seem to react at all. The rain just continued. "Humans aren't allowed inside the garden grounds after all, but you seemed different, special. From what I've seen, you are a magician of a long lineage." He explained and received an alert, grief-stricken gaze in return. "I had my doubts when I first saw you, but it seems you do have the connection to Eden," Zadkiel spoke, his gaze softening. "Do you know where magicians originated from, young man?" He asked Kaito, who only glared in return. The male figure in the kimono only smiled, the emotion foreign to his face. It was a gentle smile, one that completely transformed his face into something almost otherworldly. "Magicians and all magic originated from the same place." He explained as simply as possible while looking up at the storm clouds. Kaito was very confused and too tired for all this. He was about to avert his eyes when Zadkiel continued. What the man said next made his head reel. "You may very well be the last archangel on Earth." He explained with a bit of amusement. Kaito didn't know how many surprises he could handle right now. 

"Lying isn't very nice you know." Kaito ground out as he shook to control his overwhelming anger, the tears didn't stop no matter how much he wanted them to. Zadkiel closed his eyes and shook his head as the rain grew heavier, wetting his kimono.

"When an angel weeps, so does heaven, and as a result, so does Eden..." Zadkiel explained while turning his face to the sky and feeling the raindrops hit his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me to myself after killing off my favorite character: 
> 
> ε/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿(◡︵◡)


	11. Day Four, Part One: Rebirth

The droplets of water that fell to Zadkiel’s face slid down his skin like tears. Wet cheeks contrasting over a calm face. He turned to cast his eyes downward to the two young men huddled under the wet tree. One, gone from the world; the other, shocked, angry, heartbroken. Both frames were soaked to the bone with once freshly clean clothing sticking to their cold bodies.

"Now there's angels to match the demons?" Kaito fought not to spit the words at Zadkiel. Confusion and irritation setting in. "You're telling me I'm an angel?" Kaito asked incredulously as he held Shinichi's body closer. The feeling of a hard cold body on his own made him want to vomit. Kaito clenched his jaw shut and swallowed the bile. His poker face had never been more useless than right now. The man across from them simply nodded and ran a hand through his wet hair. Kaito tried his best to control the unending panic and grief. "How do I know you're not just trying to trick me? You and the other two girls haven't been too keen on telling us anything about this castle." He explained and downcast his eyes. The man before him let out a small sigh before there was a very large flash of light. It was large enough to make Kaito close his eyes despite already casting his eyes away from the source. No matter how many times Kaito tried to peek, the light overwhelmed his eyes and made him close them again. 

"You act as if everything you have seen is all going to disappear when you are released from this castle," Zadkiel spoke and it echoed through the garden. Kaito still couldn’t look at the older man. "That is a very large miscalculation on your part." Zadkiel's voice was booming a little less this time. Only slightly hurting Kaito's ears. The nineteen-year-old feared he may be devoured any minute. He couldn't see, couldn't stand the overwhelming boom of Zadkiel's voice. "Open your eyes child. You are of the heavens. This light would have already blinded you if you had been anything but an angel." Zadkiel explained in a slightly amused voice. Kaito, surprised by this, opened his eyes and although the light burned them, he could still see his surroundings. The longer his eyes were open, the more that he could see. "Look at me, child," Zadkiel spoke in such a manner that Kaito had never heard before. It was very soft, soothing, and despite the light, his gaze followed the kimono up until it met Zadkiel's own eyes. The blue that they had been before was now replaced with an ethereal sky blue, almost white. 

The light swallowed him as if he were bathing in it. As if he were the light. And his once ashen blonde hair was now a glowing golden color. His kimono was now glowing golden, with brass wings sprouting from between his shoulders. They spanned what Kaito thought to be nearly thirty meters of the garden before he pulled them towards himself. They fluttered, a single feather flying off and lilting to the garden's grassy land. As they settled behind him, folding and pressing to his back while stretching far above his head, the glowing continued. Unending. The simple action made Kaito's head spin even more. Angels were real and Kaito was supposed to be one? Kaito's throat was dry, but he tried to speak anyway. 

"How am I an angel? What does that have to do with Shinichi?" He asked as he pulled the dead man's body ever closer. Zadkiel, who was still glowing like the sun, took a few steps towards them and held out his hand. Kaito simply looked at it before Zadkiel let it rest by his side again, clearly in no hurry to force the poor young adult too far. 

"White angels or angels of light such as yourself are far different from me. I, myself, am an angel of the Earth. Sariel is an angel of water and Haniel is an angel of air. The three of us are angels that were trapped in Eden. You may not know but the two Necromancers you met beforehand are fallen angels. They are fire magic and void magic users. Far stronger than any of the three of us stuck in Eden. This was the only haven we were allowed when father began this 'punishment'." He said calmly as if any of this made sense to Kaito at all. Zadkiel closed his eyes, the light shining through him ever bright, before he removed a hand from its position at his stomach. He waved it gently above the garden's lawn and Kaito watched as a tree root sprouted from the ground and quickly formed into the shape of a chair. Zadkiel took a seat, crossing his legs in a very male fashion before returning his arm to its kimono. "Should I restore your ancestors' memories for you? It is all I can do. From there. It is up to you to recover your angelic heritage. The memories will be quite overwhelming to remember, painful even, I warn you, but you will be able to bring your lover back." Zadkiel finished and watched the emotions overtake the small man in front of him. He felt something touch his left-wing and he gave it a shake to get whatever it was off of it, the movement caught Kaito's attention. "Well?" Zadkiel asked after some time of Kaito staring down at Shinichi's now closed eyes. The magician looked up at the angel with a confused but determined expression before nodding slowly. "Come on then, you'll need to lay down," Zadkiel explained as the bed that was over on the other side of the pond slowly moved through the grass as if like water. Not a single blade of grass was perturbed. Kaito watched the breathtaking scenery with a childlike fascination he hadn't felt since he was young. Eventually, the bed came to a stop next to Zadkiel's chair. Kaito was about to pick up Shinichi when Zadkiel spoke up again. "May as well leave him there. You'll be in quite some pain and likely won't be sitting very still." Zadkiel explained with some sense but only received a glare in return. "I suppose I could just tie you to the bed frame…" he thought aloud as Kaito slowly lugged Shinichi's body to the bed. Kaito didn't bother answering him. This was all too much right now. He just wanted Shinichi back. One thing though was still bothering him and he wasn't getting into that bed without Zadkiel answering that question. 

"If I become an angel and bring Shinichi back... will I be able to go back to um," Kaito trailed off as he turned to look at Zadkiel. 

"Of course you will. Stop asking silly questions and just lay down. You will likely remember everything about being an angel when your memories are returned to you." Zadkiel explained in a short manner that made Kaito uncomfortable but lay down on the bed nonetheless. The vines that snaked around his wrists were loose, gentle, and comforting. Kaito glanced over at Shinichi's body, pale alabaster skin haunting his vision when he closed his eyes. He was so tired. But getting Shinichi back was worth it. "Lie still, this won't take long," Zadkiel explained as he raised a hand to place his hand over Kaito's eyes. His eyes were closed under the angel's gentle touch before he slowly melted away. At first it felt as if he were falling asleep. Soon, thoughts of himself and of who he was disappeared. Current memories were pushed to the side to make room for more information. All that was left, was thoughts flowing into his head. 

At first, the intrusive thoughts were slow to trickle in. Images of small children running about, the images too bright to see but he noticed they all glowed a different color, hair all different, wings all different. They were playing ball in a white landscaped area. The ball was a bright red color that contrasted all the children's white robes drastically. They cheered, running after the ball. Then another memory. The same kids in a classroom of sorts. The desks, walls, floor, ceiling, everything was white. Two kids in the back, a boy and a girl were giggling to themselves. Their robes were a shade off from pure white, barely noticeable unless they were surrounded by the white like they currently were. Another memory of older kids walking about, wings mounted firmly on their backs and light shining throughout their entire beings. They were carrying burlap bags in their hands. Three of them were shining brightly. Two were not and were wearing dull grey robes. Their wings were a dull maroon and grey color. Their faces were twisted with anger while the other kids were grief-stricken. Then another memory of him standing in front of a cliff, his hand holding someone else's. As he looks over his gaze meets a girl whose face looks much like his mother's. She grins at him and jumps off the cliff, releasing his hand. Startled, he falls over the cliff with her and his breath leaves him. Panic fills his chest as the ground comes closer before wings on his back are sprouted and he's taking flight with a thrilling whooping. He can see his mother above him, grinning from ear to ear as she flapped her wings. Then another memory. This one is darker than the others. He is in a bright room, same as before but he is grown up now. He no longer has his wings. He is panicking, crying. Begging. The brighter entity in front of him crosses its arms, brightness far too blinding for Kaito to see who it is. Then another memory. Falling into blackness. Falling. Falling for as long as his brain seems to remember before he was caught. His hand entwined in warmth and a gust of wind. The sensation is very familiar, but he can't quite put his finger on it. And then something different happened. They were words this time. 'You have failed us. This new test will prove your worth. For eternity.' And then more memories. Of being scared. Of being happy. Of being whole. And then even more. And more. And even more. Until Kaito was left screaming. The pain of all the memories flooding back was too painful for him to handle. He wrenched against his bindings. Fists beating against the bed, nearly hitting Shinichi's corpse if it hadn't been for his bindings. The magician felt as if he were burning alive from the inside out. He wanted to scratch at his head, beat Zadkiel's hand away, and die along with Shinichi at that moment. The pain was worse than anything he had ever been through before. The screaming only stopped after he felt he was past the point of passing out. Kaito had, inadvertently, screamed himself hoarse. His body lay there seizing as the memories of over two thousand years of life came flooding back. Multiple lives, every single one was of a magician’s life. Magic of which he had never seen before. It was beautiful. Too much and the tears that came from under Zadkiel's hand shortly after made the rainfall from the sky once more. His body was a quiver with emotions he couldn't control. Never before had he realized he would ever need his poker face more than this moment in his life. Zadkiel carefully removed his hand from the young man's eyes when he finally fell limp against the bindings. All of his memories were back where they belonged, throbbing inside his skull. After a long while, his restraints were removed, but he didn't move. 

Even before Kaito opened his eyes, he was aware of his surroundings and of who he was. Aware that he was in Father's Garden of Eden where the old man had stationed the three angels in an experiment with Adam and Eve. He was aware of who he used to be and that was something that left his head screaming. He had been abandoned along with other fallen angels because he had spoken blasphemy, once, about being in love with a human... a human..?

As his eyes opened, the once pale violet color of his eyes was now an ethereal galaxy stricken violet-blue. They seemed to glow as did the rest of his body as he awoke. As he came back to himself, he took a long breath in. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from him as he did so. As he let the breath out in a long, even way, he felt the breeze lick his skin and he smiled. He felt as if he were one with the garden around him. And as he lifted his head and torso from the bed, he felt two very large objects settled in between his shoulders shimmy around against the bed and tug at his back nearly on his shoulder blades. He felt excitement bubble in his stomach as he collected his thoughts. He sat up, slowly and carefully. Rolling onto his side and arching his shoulders, he felt his wings brush against the bed. They immediately fanned out as they were freed when he stood from it. They stretched out and shuddered with the effort of being confined for so many years. Stretching his body in all sorts of directions, he finished with a shake of his wings before he turned around. He couldn't help the small flap of his wings that he gave. Couldn't help the way he grinned more when he stretched them up and out as far as he could. He even noticed that he shone more brightly the more he settled into his own body. It felt like being home. 

When his eyes scanned the garden, they held a certain sort of familiarity that hadn't been there before. As he glanced at the sakura tree, his eyes turned sad. He thought of his birth father, Toiichi Kuroba, who was probably spending his time up with his old man before beginning his reincarnation in one hundred years. The thought of possibly being able to talk to his birth father made his head reel and his body buzz. For now, though, his gaze wandered at last over to Zadkiel, who was watching Kaito with keen interest. Kaito's wings shivered as his brain processed all this new, yet old information, and when a name floated into his head, he couldn't help but grin that goofy grin.

"Zaddie." Kaito cheered with a voice full of emotion which immediately made Zadkiel uncomfortable. The pet name seemed familiar to the Earth angel who cast his eyes away with an extremely distasteful look.

"Just woken up and already back to using pet names are we Uriel?" He asked and Kaito pouted at the use of his god-given name. 

"Come on Zaddie! It's been over two thousand years since my memories were stolen by Pops. Cut me some slack and call me Kaito." He spoke in loose Japanese much closer to his mother's than before. "...'cause," He continued as his eyes grew sullen. Barely noticeable at all, he looked down at Shinichi who still lay dead on the bed. "I'm still the person I was born as, in this generation," Kaito explained as he extended his wings. With a leap into the air and a surge of his wings, he hopped over to Shinichi's side of the bed, dropping to his knees and taking the detective's face into his hands. The firm drying feeling of Shinichi's skin under his smooth thumbs made his throat swell. If only he had been awakened before this had happened. Hopefully, Shinichi hadn't yet lost his mind in purgatory. But for him to know that Kaito first had to bring him back. "Come back, you foolhardy detective." He whispered as he leaned in and captured cold hard lips with his own. 

Slowly he breathed into his lover's mouth. The detective's chest rose, then, as if he were slowly reversing time, the magician felt the lips he was kissing begin to warm and fill as they were before. Slowly, the man's stomach began to fill out. His skin seemed to liven up and plump. Muscle came back as if he had never once turned into Conan. His hair slowly filled with color and shine. So, when Kaito released the detective's lips and brushed his thumbs against Shinichi's eyes, the detective looked almost as if he were never dead in the first place. With one last breath out onto Shinichi's face gently, Kaito closed his eyes. The color came back into the detective's face, rising to the surface, and just like that, Kaito released his face and sat back on his haunches. In a flash of ethereal energy, and light far brighter than Zadkiel, Kaito's wings disappeared and his eyes returned to normal. He was, once again, human in appearance. Zadkiel followed his lead, watching as Shinichi's eyes shifted under their lids. Kaito could only hold Shinichi's hand and rest his head on the detective's chest. The relief and happiness he felt mixed with everything he had just learned left him with little to say. 

"Thank you… thank you. Thank you…" Kaito could only murmur over and over again as he held Shinichi's hand a bit tighter. The even pattern of Shinichi's breathing was music to Kaito's ears. The way his heartbeat was like a drum against his head and he loved it. Loved it so damn much. His eyes welled with tears, but not wanting everyone to get even wetter, he blinked them back. This had to be why his Dad always told him to never forget his poker face. A passed-down tradition. A simple message that only he would remember if he were awakened. He curled up onto the bed with Shinichi then. His nearly weightless body moved easily about. He shimmied his way around Shinichi, holding onto him before speaking. "Zaddie, I'm going to get you and the girls out of here," Kaito explained. "What Father did to us is horrible. Casting you out because of some project he had… creating Nephilim as a means of creating better humans... we're not animals..." Kaito explained while looking at Zadkiel seriously over Shinichi's lively head of hair. 

They shared a look of understanding before they heard Shinichi groan, letting out a dry cough before lifting his hand to touch his head. The ease with which his hand rose was far easier than any other time he had tried. Kaito noticed the bandage still on his arm and carefully took it into his hand. "Shin," Kaito said happily, almost choking up but went about carefully unwrapping the material on the detective's arm until all that was left was bare, unscathed skin. There was no bite mark to be seen. The detective opened his eyes when his name was called. The early morning sun had yet to reach them over the castle walls, so opening his eyes wasn't too painful, but he still blinked a few times before his gaze settled on Kaito. When their eyes met and Shinichi smiled, it was probably the best smile Kaito had ever seen in his life. And he couldn't help but kiss that smile when he saw it. Lips pressed together and the movement of lips against his made him choke up again. He didn't want to, but he had to pull away. 

It was then that the two female angels walked into Eden. They stopped immediately after passing over the threshold when they felt the presence of angelic power aside from their own filling the garden. With wide eyes, both girls looked over the pond to Zadkiel who was raising himself from the chair which was disappearing from the grass into the ground. When he turned to meet their gazes his expression was very pleased, something neither girl had seen for quite some time. With a nod to Kaito who hardly seemed to notice, he walked over to the girls and began to explain what had just happened. Kaito was busy planting kisses on Shinichi's sputtering face and before the magician could be pushed away, he planted a fiery kiss onto Shinichi's lips. It was filled with love, desire, and longing. Filled with sadness, happiness, and all the emotions he'd been stuck with the entire time Shinichi had been dead. The Detective of the west smiled into the kiss and lifted his hands to hold the magician's face with a warm firmness that Kaito had missed oh so much. The kiss wasn't erotic by any means, but something both males needed. There was no tongue, only open-mouthed melding of their lips. 

When they released one another, both teens were a mess. Kaito wrapped his arms around Shinichi to rub his face into that warm chest to listen to his heartbeat. The fast rhythm mixed with Shinichi's chuckle was music to his ears and he didn't think he'd ever been happier. Not since learning how to fly for the first time over two millennia ago. He felt like he could cry again and this time Eden had no choice but to give them the sun showers he felt inside himself. 

"Ah- it's raining?" Shinichi asked before Kaito pulled away with a laugh the magician himself hadn't expected. The happy tears really didn't go well with how he felt and they surely shocked Shinichi just as much as the rain above them had. Before the detective could mention them, they were wiped away and the sky slowly slowed its small shower. Again, Shinichi was shocked. The rain… it had been timed perfectly. It made his head spin a bit, especially when he vaguely remembered being stuck in a place where he was just falling while surrounded by blackness. He shivered then, his wet freshly resurrected body cooling down inside his wet clothes, but the small shake wasn't really because of any of that. "I died…" He spoke out into the open air. It was more of a statement than a question and Kaito swallowed his smile. It fell from his face like a mask being ripped off. 

"You did." He admitted in a pained tone. The way that Shinichi looked at him next made his heart ache. So startled and, a bit horrified. Lost.

"Then, how-" Shinichi began to ask and Kaito had to smile that amazing moonlit thief smirk that silenced him with a skipping beat of his heart. 

"M'not exactly the same person I was before ya died Shin." He explained vaguely and the way Shinichi thought he saw wings behind the other man had his head hurting. When Kaito noticed this, his smile turned apologetic. "I know, it's probably a lot t'deal with right now." Then that carefree grin was back, like the Kaito from before had never left. "You should probably sleep. Being dead isn't fun." He said as he touched the detective's soft hair. Shinichi definitely had no intention of sleeping at that moment. Nor did he feel tired enough to. His nerves were on fire. They were begging him to use his newly developed muscles. There was an itch under his skin to find out what had just happened to him. It was like he was back to his old self and as he sat up in bed Kaito let out a sound of fascination. "You sure are something else. Just coming back from purgatory and already ready to get up and go!" Kaito spoke energetically and watched as Shinichi flinched at the word purgatory. When Shinichi turned to the newly awakened angel, his eyes were weary. If it bothered the magician, he didn't let it slip past that poker face of his.

"Purgatory?" Shinichi mimicked the word as a question as his eyes studied Kaito more. They were confused, holding love and trepidation for the magician in front of him. In his nervousness, Kaito called down his birds with a small whistle and watched as they flew from the sakura tree in a flurry of white and pink. They flew over to him and landed in their respective places. One on each shoulder. One on his head and one on each hand, consecutively. The small yet extremely Kaito gesture made Shinichi breathe a bit easier, yet he was still wary. "Kaito, how am I alive and why was I in purgatory?" He questioned as he watched the birds scale their master while the magician pet them. Kaito took a deep breath before looking Shinichi straight in the eyes. 

"Purgatory is where you go to wait for processing into heaven or hell." Kaito began slowly. The way Shinichi's face contorted made Kaito equally uncomfortable but he continued. "Before your hundred-year vacation from reality, I brought you back to life." He started simply. When he received furrowed brows in return, Kaito pursed his lips in thought while sitting beside his love. "Let me start from the beginning." He started as one of his doves crawled onto his lap from his arm. He gently scratched the feathers on the back of its head. "A long time ago, when the Earth was first recreated there were angels who helped their father rebuild it after it was destroyed by an asteroid. I suppose that's what our science teachers called the Big Bang. In reality, it was only Lucifer being irresponsible while creating the Milky Way with Azrael, the angel of the void that trapped us in this castle. When Father found out, he forced Lucifer and Azrael to recreate Earth along with the rest of the angels. As a result, Lucifer confessed to our father that he loved humans more than his own father. In return for his faith in our father's love, he was cast onto the very lands he loved, to torture the people he loved more." As he explained Shinichi listened quietly, wondering when any of this had started to feel normal to him. "Growing up, and knowing Lucifer was never going to be a part of our family any more, Azrael and Abaddon slowly began becoming corrupt. At first, it was only a small change. They were only interrupting classes at first. Then it became worse. They were skipping classes, not following the natural flow of order. They were committing blasphemy by any means. Even went so far as to have sex inside Father's chambers. At that point, their wings had been cast off. They were no children of Father. So he cast them out into this castle. And with them cast out, they sent the three angels Zadkiel, Haniel, and Sariel with them to keep an eye on them. He disguised it as a sort of experiment by having Gabriel and the first woman ever created, Eve, create Nephilim to see if it were possible." Kaito smiled sadly, the dove on his head nestled down and cooed gently in comfort before he continued. "Of course, it wasn't long before all the angels rebelled. Uriel, the archangel of light was next to be banished to Earth. For the sin of loving a human man." His eyes closed as the pain flooded his memories. "His fate was to have his angel repressed and to become the very thing he fell in love with. To be reincarnated as a human for the rest of eternity." The words were sad, emotional and Shinichi couldn't help but wonder if he spoke about himself. Both adults were quiet for a moment before Kaito continued in a low voice. "After millennia spent learning how to fly and how to create the sunrise and sunset… my memories were thrown away into purgatory, trapped forever. Only to be resurrected as a human to spend two more millennia being reincarnated as a human while my family was trapped here, slowly going insane." He confessed as he raised his eyes from his hands as they pet his dove. The violet gaze was solemn, raw, wounded. Shinichi found it hard to breathe with the weight of this news. His boyfriend was an archangel? How could this be true? How did he know he was telling the truth? He technically had come back to life and there was no explanation. He could have also been dreaming. Noticing the detective's apprehension, he bit his lip and looked away for a brief moment before sighing. "If I showed you my true body, you'd die again. I don't want that happening, but I c'n show you this." He explained seriously and before Shinichi could ask what he meant, the magician had disappeared right before his eyes. The doves that were once settled peacefully on his person were now squawking in panic as they flapped their wings to keep themselves from plummeting to the ground. In the next second, Kaito was standing on the pond. This had Shinichi on shaky feet in an instant with wide eyes. The sleuth immediately looked for ways that he could have been doing this because for some reason his brain was still thinking this couldn't be real. When he didn't find any tricks, he crossed his arms. 

"Okay. So what about your fish phobia?" Shinichi asked incredulously. Kaito paled at the word fish and refused to look down into the pond. 

"As long as I don't look at them…" Kaito provided without finishing. The open-ended sentence had Shinichi nod in amusement. Kaito gracefully walked on the water and back to where Shinichi was standing with his feet planted on the grass before he continued. 

"Just because I remember all my past lives, doesn't make me any less of who I am right now," Kaito said with his moonlit smirk that Shinichi loved so damn much. "They're more like, watching someone else's lives in my head and knowing they're me, but I don't think my brain has quite caught up yet," Kaito said with a chuckle. Shinichi seemed to relax at that and gave the magician a small smile. The shorter man collected Shinichi into a hug, rubbing his face into the skin of the neck with his nose. "I'm so glad you're okay." He breathed after a while. Shinichi only held onto him a bit longer.

“Thank you. For bringing me back.” Shinichi spoke slowly and with apprehension as if he weren’t sure if he should be thanking the magician. Kaito only kissed him firmly before pulling away. 

“You are worth every breath,” Kaito said and Shinichi laughed so suddenly it surprised the angel. “What? Don’t laugh like that.” Kaito whined as the detective of the west composed himself. Shinichi wiped a tear away and gave him a one in one thousand smiles that he loved so much. 

“I just think it’s funny. We’ve been rivals longer than we’ve had feelings for one another and you already deem me ‘worth it’.” He explained while giving Kaito a gaze filled with mirth. Kaito couldn’t help but chortle at his comment. Then the chortle turned into stomach gripping guffaws and his laughter carried him away for a short time. When he stopped, Shinichi was looking at him like he was unsure if he’d lost his sanity or not. 

“I know you're worth it. Before this version of myself was born, I fell in love with the same reincarnation nearly every time.” He explained as he gathered his wits. “I know for a fact that I never stopped loving that person. Even when they didn’t love me back. Every time I tried loving another person, it ended up being Aoko in the end.” He continued before his hand raised to cup Shinichi’s chin. The detective’s face was becoming very red, despite telling himself that it could be anyone he was talking about. “I got kicked outta heaven because I fell in love with you, Shin.” He said with a broad grin that made the entire garden light up. The flutter in Shinichi's stomach and the blush on his face only grew at the magician's last words. His chest felt odd. It felt as if he were swimming in the water while falling out of the sky. Wrapped in warmth yet beating a mile a minute. Was this what love was? It must be if they'd fallen in love so many times before. It was a feeling so different than what he had experienced with Ran. It took his breath away and left him unable to do anything but wrap his arms around Kaito in return. He enjoyed this feeling and the more he thought about it, the more he enjoyed this entirely new feeling. 

“I love you too.” The highschool detective mumbled into the angel’s shirt as a large blush of his own spread over his face. They spent a while basking in the moment, enjoying the sun beginning to wash over them as Kaito's angelic abilities coaxed it over them in a slow gentle way. Shinichi hardly noticed. After what seemed like a very long time both boys released one another with matching blushes. Kaito was grinning, but Shinichi had a nervous look about him still. "So, you're an angel?" Shinichi couldn't help but ask with a hesitant smile. Kaito nodded, his grin not leaving his face. "You don't act like an angel." The detective mocked which led Kaito to laugh. A carefree, happy laugh Shinichi didn't think he'd ever heard and enjoyed the sound of until now. He loved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaito got Shinichi like: 
> 
> ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ̀ˋ ~Come back bitch~


	12. Day Four, Part Two: Machination

The two males were sitting in the garden drinking coffee by the pond at the small cafe table made from tree roots. A small platter of food was set out for them. Neither felt like touching the food after what had just happened through their plates were still filled with things that they enjoyed. 

"First of all," Kaito began while trying to collect himself from his fits of giggles while taking a bite of cheesecake. Shinichi sipped his coffee. Kaito was still giggling when he continued, licking some cheesecake from his lips. "Angels aren't perfect, despite what you may think." Kaito calmed down the more he continued to speak. Shinichi's brows rose at the statement while he took a bite of some rice. "Second of all, I got kicked out for that mischief." He explained giving Shinichi a naughty wink, which made the detective blush and trying hard not to sputter nonsense to fill the silence that followed Kaito's statement. The magician grinned at the reaction he'd gotten but chose to take a bite of his cheesecake instead. The sweetness of it was refreshing. Something Kaito had surely missed. When Shinichi realized that the other man only prepared to eat to his heart's content he calmed down a bit. The blush was still evident on his face. They both ate brunch in silence for a while before they both heard footfalls on the stone pathway. Without looking up, both teens smiled knowing it was Kaito's mother. The panicked pace of her footfalls was enough to tell Kaito that one of his fellow angels had broken the news to her. Both males shared a knowing look before looking up at her. When she saw them her footfalls slowed and the nervous look in her eyes faded to relief. Kaito grinned. Shinichi smiled.

"Mornin' mom!" Kaito prompted cheerfully as he waved his fork with a piece of cheesecake on it. Shinichi offered her a polite nod while sipping his coffee. She huffed one final time before putting her hands on her hips. The relieved expression not matching her defiant stance. 

"Now, when Zadkiel told me what happened, I expected to come down here n' find you with a pair of wings speakin' bible verses." She confessed slowly making her way over to them. Kaito choked on the coffee that he had picked up to wash down the cheesecake with. His tongue was scalded, making him tear up and cough. The Shinichi couldn't help with the snicker that left him, but he did hide it well under his coffee cup. When Chikage saw the exchange between the two, she grew very confused. As she sat down at the table for breakfast, she looked between the two who were bickering about burnt tongues and unnecessary laughter. It was as if what Zadkiel told her hadn't been true. "Let me just clarify." She started as she picked up the plate that had been set aside for her. Her mug was turned over on a doily. The movement and comment cut off both men who looked to her in curiosity. Their expressions were scarily similar. She uprighted her mug before speaking. "Zadkiel woke me up this morning to tell me that Shinichi had been killed." She explained and watched both their faces contort with many emotions. Pain, fear, sadness, and finally Kaito's went blank while Shinichi's went far away somewhere. Chikage hummed to herself, pouring her coffee. "That's what I thought." She confessed as she added creamer and sugar to her coffee. "He also told me that my Kai was an angel." She continued slowly as she stirred. Her other hand leaned on the table with her chin in her palm. It was Kaito's turn to look at his mother with wide eyes before they faded away as if looking through her. He was remembering all the times before he had been exiled and the ache it left in his chest made a small tremble leave his body. That entire time Shinichi had looked uncomfortable but as Kaito shivered, he placed a comforting hand on the magician's arm and the gesture seemed to startle the man out of his stupor. The exchange left a small smile on Chikage's lips which her son seemed to notice as he collected himself. He sighed, back straight, ready for anything.

"I am." He admitted and found it hard to meet his mothers’ eyes. After all these millennia, she still looked the same as his first mother. He wondered if that was another part of the curse. He wouldn't put it past Father. 

Chikage breathed out before sipping her tea. With her poker face in place, neither male was sure what exactly was going through her head. Kaito figured he may as well place all his cards on the table and after explaining all that he had to, they had finished eating and Haniel had popped in to take the food away. They sat around the table. Talking for another hour about every little detail. 

"So, after Abaddon and Azrael were kicked out," The younger magician spoke while he flipped a coin along the top of his fingers. "Pretty much everyone else went along after. Some for 'projects' others for 'blasphemy', but after a while, only those closest to Father were left. Even me, Uriel, an archangel to Father himself." His fingers closed around the coin as he finished speaking. Briefly, he glanced over at his mother who still had a keen interest in him. Her expression was happy, relieved, but a bit far away. His eyes closed then as his fingers continued to play with the coin. 

"So, do you know what's going on with this castle?" She asked seriously after a while. His eyes opened after he sighed with a nod. She took this as apprehension and felt uneasiness grow in her stomach. 

"Yeah, they were thrown here as a pet project for Father." He began while sitting back in his chair while shoving the coin in his pocket. "He planned to create an ancient line of Nephilim using Adam and Eve as a pure bloodline. Adam was originally an angel, but took a human form, like mine," He gestured to his body catching the startled look that his mother gave him. "...for the sake of the experiment. Zaddie, Haniel, and Sariel were all sent to earth as pure angels to look over Adam and Eve inside the castle. As an ironic joke, Abaddon and Azrael were stuck inside an alternate reality inside the castle. They're not allowed in Eden either." He leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It doesn't surprise me that after all these years they've managed to make this all into some twisted sort of game." He finished explaining as he looked up to his mother while dropping his hand onto the table gently. Both Shinichi and Chikage had been sitting patiently to wait for Kaito to finish. As he did, they both looked as if they were in deep thought. Shinichi more so than his mother. 

"Do you think there's a way we can release everyone from the castle?" Shinichi inquired while still deep in thought. Kaito shrugged. 

"I was in charge of providing information to humans as well as controlling the sun, electricity, lightning and creating the galaxy." That made both remaining people at the table nod. He was sure both knew this much. It was how much he remembered that they wanted to know. He was sure of that. "The information I provided to the humans during my time serving Father was about the Milky Way Galaxy, humans, witches, and about the occult and angelic orientated stuff. I didn't have any knowledge of Father's larger plans." This news to the two was something they hadn't expected as they both showed their surprise in different ways. Shinichi's brows rose while Chikage hummed and put her chin in her hand while she let her armrest on the table like always. Kaito smiled in amusement. "Not like Metatron anyway." He confessed and it was Shinichi's turn to speak up. 

"Right. You mean the scribe of God." Shinichi elaborated causing the angel to nod. "Well, there has to be some way of dealing with this," Shinichi spoke mostly to himself as he curled up in thought much as he used to in his armchair at the Kudo mansion. Without the shoes, Kaito could see Shinichi's toes curl around the edge of the seat and it made him snicker. He kept it to himself by turning and pretending to scratch his ankle. Biting his lip to stifle his emotions, he thought seriously for a moment. 

"Well, as far as getting out of here goes, it won't take much. I could just transform with the both of you blindfolded and fly us all out, but that still leaves everyone else stuck here." Kaito explained while sitting up again. Shinichi didn't seem to hear him as he was lost in thought. Probably in his mind palace as he had often seen him do at the Mori residence through the cameras. His mother though was giving him a hum of acknowledgment while looking off into the distance. Which, he supposed was more than what Shin had given him. 

It was at that moment that Zadkiel came into Eden once more with Haniel in tow. The two angels were talking amongst themselves while they walked. Kaito looked over at them with a thoughtful look before he grinned. 

"Zaddie! You're an archangel, like me! Any ideas on how to get us all out of here?" He called while successfully averting their attention. Zadkiel's face soured at his nickname, but he turned to walk to them nonetheless. When both angels arrived at the table, Zadkiel waved an arm above the ground and two more chairs materialized. It was only then that Shinichi was broken from his stupor to look over at the two angels in kimonos who were settling into their seats. 

"We have had plenty of time to think of a plan for escaping, Uriel," Zadkiel explained and Haniel smacked the Earth angel in the arm. 

"Didn't he tell you that he wanted you to call him Kaito?" She prodded while Kaito shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Zadkiel noticed this and shrugged.   
"Pretty sure I told him not to call me Zaddie either." Zadkiel countered and bent forward to avoid a slap to the side of the head from Haniel who was puffing her cheeks out in frustration. When her plan didn't connect with anything she let out a groan of frustration making both the sleuth and the thief chuckle. Kaito shook his head while the two angels bickered next to him. 

"At this point, I just want to get you guys outta here and get Abaddon and Azrael into a jail cell." He explained seriously, which caught Shinichi's attention. 

"Angels can be jailed?" Shinichi inquired with legitimate wonder. "Wouldn't they just be able to teleport out?" Shinichi elaborated and Kaito nodded. 

"Normally, yeah." He provided while leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "But in this case, we would be able to keep them in their cells and human vessels by using special materials for their cells. Ones that are made entirely of holy armament. Like how you've heard of the Naginata, Nagamaki, and Bisento during the war." And in this comment, everyone around the table but Haniel nodded. "There were only two cells created and they can only be reached by opening purgatory." He explained, which made both of the other angels in the garden grow uncomfortable as well as Shinichi.

"How would we do that?" Shinichi's voice gave telltale signs of confusion and frustration while trying to keep up. Kaito gave him a sympathetic smile. This time it was Haniel who spoke up. 

"An angel has to open it, but only archangels are allowed to open the gate between worlds. And it's… very dangerous. If something goes wrong, the angel could be sucked into purgatory, physical body and all." She said sadly. Shinichi immediately flinched at the words, looking over at Kaito with panicked eyes. Kaito gave Haniel a disapproving look before turning to his lover. 

"The odds of that happening are cut in half with two archangels." Kaito comforted as he gestured to Zadkiel with his head. It did little to settle Shinichi down though as he saw the detective's brows still creased. When Shinichi bit his lip, Kaito knew he hadn't exactly assured him all that much. 

"Isn't there another way? Could we tear down the building?" Shinichi questioned with a disapproving frown. The archangel of light smiled and sighed in resignation.

"If there was another way, a human way, the other three angels would have-" It was then that an idea so obvious it hurt popped into his head. He looked down at the table, ignoring Shinichi's inquiries of if he was okay. "It may take all three of us, but…" It was then that he stood from his chair suddenly, surprising everyone at the table. "I know what we can do." He said as excitement bubbled in his stomach. "Azrael is the third archangel." He pointed out as Zadkiel's eyes narrowed. "The first archangel to be banished." He continued as Zadkiel started to interrupt before he continued. "If we could somehow trick him into opening the portal, we could have him sucked in with Abaddon." He finished sitting down in his chair again while holding a pointed hand up. The grin ever-present on his face. Zadkiel put his face in his hands and sighed. 

"Kaito," he pointedly used his birth name. Kaito wasn't sure if he liked him using his birth name anymore either. "In what way would we possibly be able to coax him into casting a spell?" He asked, dropping his hands so he could throw a look at the magician. It was irritation and exhaustion mixed.

Kaito couldn't blame him. Two millennia was a long time to be stuck in the same garden. Still, his grin wouldn't leave his face. He was so excited he wanted to turn Shinichi's hair blue and pink. He, of course, had no dye to do this with, so he settled for making his hair stand on end with just a pinch of his angelic powers. When Shinichi felt his hair lifting, he immediately shivered and tried to pat it down with a pout at the magician. 

"The spell to open purgatory doesn't need to be spoken completely by the same person, right?" He prodded Zadkiel in the side with his elbow and received a grunt in reply. "If we both say the first part of the mantra, we may be able to trick him into saying the final words!" Kaito said energetically. Zadkiel still looked nonplussed. 

"For the spell to work all the words need to be spoken in order without interruptions. How are we going to manage that?" Zadkiel provided, immediately crumbling Kaito's plan to dust in an instant. Kaito huffed and crossed his arms, the grin fading away as he sat back in his chair. Beside the magician, Shinichi was deep in thought. 

"What if we made him open the portal by himself?" Shinichi grew a small smile of his own. This smile though was much creepier than Kaito's had been and it made everyone else at the table shocked. He looked at all of them and finally at Kaito. "Where does he get all of his demons from?" Shinichi asked Zadkiel and Haniel. Both angels shifted their attention to him fully both in surprising realization.

"From purgatory!" Haniel suddenly yelled as she stood up herself. Her mischievous gaze met Shinichi's before everyone else understood. Kaito made a sound of appreciation then. 

"Riiiight. Being an archangel of the void, he can open purgatory easily. All we have to do is change the last word of the enchantment to send them to jail!" Kaito said as he stood up and high-fived Haniel. "Nice!" He cheered before plopping himself back into his chair. "The only problem is, how do we get his attention instead of the attention of his demons?" He asked seriously again. Everyone thought for a moment before it was Chikage that spoke up. 

"I normally don't like this idea, but what about killing that grey demon you were telling me about Kai? You know, the one that killed Shinichi?" She explained seriously. Kaito contemplated it for a moment. 

"There's that option, but no guarantee that they would show up." He explained and was going to continue when Shinichi sat forward to interject.   
"Do you remember when they said that we couldn't leave the outside of the castle or they would kill us?" Shinichi asked Kaito who nodded slowly. The detective looked down at the table. "What if we did try to leave? That would be bound to get their attention." He offered and was met with a moonlit smirk. Before Shinichi could do much of anything, Kaito was far closer than he was just sitting in his chair and he was pressing their lips together. The surprised noise he let out was muffled by the magicians’ lips, but as he was about to retaliate, those gentle lips were gone. 

"That's the reason I love you so damn much," Kaito said as he stood from his chair, raising a fist into the air. "Let's all get outta here." He insisted with a dim glow of light under his skin. Zadkiel cleared his throat and Kaito, startled at his own actions, calmed right down. The light that had been shining dimly within him faded away. Both humans in the garden that had to look away at the time peeked their eyes open. Kaito gave them an apologetic smile. "S-sorry." The word came out very timid and both humans sighed in exasperation. Zadkiel stood from the table then with Haniel in two. 

"While you two are distracting him, mistress Chikage, I would like you to wait in Eden until your son comes to fetch you." He spoke easily and though Chikage didn't like the idea, she knew how important it was that she stay out of this. Zadkiel turned to Shinichi then. "He will begin chanting the spell to open purgatory while Abaddon is distracting you two. When he is close to being done with the incantation, Kaito will be speaking the incantation with Azrael and me while you two remain as their distraction. I will step into the situation as Kaito and I chant the remaining words. Your job, Haniel, will be to work with Sariel to cease Azrael's words before he completes his spell, but without disrupting the spell in its entirety." He explained in detail. Shinichi, who was trying to fit all the pieces together in his head, nodded absentmindedly. With that Zadkiel turned and, taking Haniel's hand carefully, they made their way out of the garden only to be met by Sariel at the entryway to the foyer who looked very spooked. 

"Sariel," Zadkiel spoke seriously as he took her shoulder in a soft hand. "Come. We have much to talk about." He explained as she stuttered in a confused manner. The serious look in Zadkiel's eyes made her hush and swallow her words as they all left the area. 

Chikage, who had been fiddling with her dead phone was now looking at the two boys with worried eyes even though she did her best to hide it. They could tell from the way her brows twitched and the way her eyes shifted between them a bit too hurriedly. All of the remaining people sat quietly before she looked to her son and placed her hand on the table. The action caught both boy's attention. 

"You better be safe. I don't want you throwing your life away because you think you'll be saving us." She warned seriously. "I've already lost your father." She said and a sad smile overtook her face. Kaito could feel the sadness touching his heart and he had to grin to ignore it. 

"Aww, c'mon mom. You know ‘m always careful. I don't wanna die anytime soon." He reassured while putting his hands behind his head in the same carefree way he always did. The action seemed to reassure her enough as she smiled before lifting herself from her chair. 

"Good. Now you take care of Shinichi. Understand?" She questioned and he nodded once firmly with a grin. 

Once she had disappeared from the garden, Kaito slumped down into his chair and gave a big sigh. Shinichi, noticing this noise, looked over at his counterpart with a curious look. The magician looked very tired but also more relaxed than he'd ever seen the moonlit thief before. He imagined that remembering 2000 years of different lives had to be a lot to handle on top of everything they were already dealing with. He couldn't imagine how it must have felt to cope with all of it at that time. He'd imagine it was a lot harder than it was for him to come back from purgatory. Falling for hours had been pure torture. He had wretched for hours and hadn't vomited once. He had passed out a few times as well from vertigo. By the fifth hour, he had nearly gotten used to the feeling of free-falling when he had seen Kaito inside the endless darkness. Or, what had seemed to be Kaito as this one did have similar facial features, but he was absolutely glowing. Settled deep within his back was a set of six gorgeous wings. They seemed to glow ruby red that dimmed to a dark purple with that golden light surrounding every individual feather. It was unlike anything Shinichi had ever seen. And when that Kaito held out a hand for him to take, his throat caught, teeth clenched and a hand reached desperately for that amazing light. Then, he'd awoken by the bed with his hand being held by the actual Kaito. Now, seeing him as a mixture of both worlds, it was almost unreal. 

"Shinichi?" His name snapped the detective out of the stupor he had been in. As he came back to himself he noticed that Kaito was close enough for their noses to brush and breath to mingle. It made the detective jump more than he'd like to admit. Kaito laughed at his reaction. "Where'd you go just now?" He asked, fully aware that Shinichi had been wandering about in his thoughts. Shinichi smiled with a blush. 

"Thinking about purgatory," Shinichi confessed with a sad look. The comment made Kaito's eyes very melancholy.

"I'm sorry you spent so long there." Kaito apologized and was going to continue when he shook his head. "Can't be helped though." He tried to console himself and Shinichi agreed with a hum. The detective looked thoroughly engrossed in his thoughts again before Kaito grinned. That spark of mischief in his eyes was clearly apparent. "We have a bunch of time before we get out of here. Wanna make the best of it?" Kaito purred as he leaned forward with a bit of interest in his eyes. Shinichi had cast his gaze to the magician with a nonplussed look before he had finished his sentence. His eyes grew wide and a blush rose to his cheeks. The thought of exactly what had happened before Shinichi was killed came rushing back into his head. The way Kaito's eyes pierced the detective with a hungry look was enough to make him shiver under the gaze. "We can pick up where we left off. Zaddie won't be back for a while." He explained while his own body wound up like a pin. Shinichi swallowed as he held the magician's stare. The way royal blue consumed violet was startling to Kaito as he expected Shinichi to be as sheepish as before. The memory of him ravishing Shinichi's hole was enough to make Kaito lick his lips again, which made Shinichi suck in a breath a bit harder than he'd meant to.

What would it be like to have sex with another male? Shinichi knew the mechanics of it, sure. Just like he knew the mechanics of having normal sex. He knew where all the soft spots were on the body. In fact, there was nothing he didn't know about sex except what it felt like to have sex with an angel. Was anything different? Coupling with such a magnificent being… Someone who could devastate lands as far as the eye could see. The thought of death was such a turn off that he shooed it away. He knew that Kaito wasn't like that. If anything, he'd make sure Shinichi came before he even thought about getting aroused. And that thought made him blush deeply again. The long-range emotions barely showed on his face until that moment. Which, when Kaito noticed this with a keen observation, his smirk turned into a wolfish grin. It was then that Shinichi understood. He asked because he wanted Shinichi to experience it with him together. This would be the first time as Uriel that he would be experiencing sex and he was asking Shinichi to do this with him. 

"Why me?" He found himself saying before he could stop himself. He noticed the mask slide onto his face like a second skin. The shock and slight hurt were hidden underneath a huge grin. 

"You already know why, Shin," Kaito said smoothly while the grin faded into a careful smile. Shinichi felt embarrassment lick at his stomach as he realized Kaito mistook his words. He immediately took Kaito's hand into his own which startled the angel. Not that he'd let Shinichi know that. 

"I should have chosen my words better. I'm just baffled at how you can choose me of all people." He said with a small blush. Kaito blushed himself and cleared his throat. 

"You have a good head on your shoulders and morals that I agree with." He said in short then scratched his blushing cheek. "You're also smarter than most of the detectives I know and love your work as much as I love my magic. You're also, uh, cute." He confessed and cast his eyes away from Shinichi's wide eyes. The hug that enveloped Kaito next was startling, but not unexpected. The warmth that it filled him with made the sun shine brightly in the sky. 

"Okay then. Before we leave here." Shinichi nuzzled the chest in his arms as he spoke. "Please treat me gently." He confessed before biting his lip and pulling away to look up at his lover. Kaito's chest filled with love as he looked down at the detective below him. 

"Of course I will," Kaito spoke with a moonlit smirk. His hands snaked around the other man's waist with the utmost gentleness so he could press Shinichi further into his lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ᕕ( ಠ‿ಠ) ᕗ Me on my way to check the exposure after posting half the story in one day.


	13. Day Four, Part Three: Fornication

The way that Kaito's hands settled onto Shinichi's hips as he situated himself on the magician's lap was comforting; warm and firm. As if telling the detective that he would always be there. Eyes of blue-violet inspected pale ocean blue before the detective leaned forward, drawn towards the magician. Their eyes caught one another's, a blush forming on pale cheeks before they were sliding closed. Lips came together as if they had thousands of times before, soft, supple and yet a bit chapped from the winter weather they had been in days before. The sigh that left Shinichi's nose tickled Kaito's and made the magician smile, inadvertently breaking their kiss which has still been simple, yet sweet. The rays of heat shining down on the two forms while they relaxed in the sun caused Shinichi to feel a warmth that he hadn't felt in a very long time. It began slowly; starting at his fingertips and tingled as it snaked throughout his entire body and finally over his lips. He felt an odd sense inside him. As if he should be panicking, but the warmth made all of that gray in comparison. Threats in their lives didn't matter at that very moment. The smile etched against his lips made him chuckle, a smile he hadn't even known was there matched the magician as he felt the nape of his neck being gently stroked. Goosebumps covered him from head to toe at the feeling. So unfamiliar yet welcome. Was this peace?

Shinichi felt as if something were pulling him back in for another kiss. Not Kaito's hand, but something inside himself. Something that felt the need to see if their smiles really were a perfect match. The way that Kaito tugged at his lip with his teeth, when he leaned back in, was unreal. This was a much better feeling than the kiss before, even though that one had left his head fuzzy and buzzing. There was no lingering fear of being attacked. No anxiety. There weren't cold sweats or painful moments. Only calm. Only happiness. The two adults melted into the kiss. Their hands sitting firmly on one another as a sign of comfort. A breathy sigh left Shinichi's mouth as they continued, Kaito gently licking Shinichi's lips asking for entrance. The moment the breath left Shinichi's throat he blushed while he pulled away to cover his mouth with the side of his hand. His half-lidded eyes and disheveled form made appreciation bloom in Kaito's chest. This was someone he had missed so much, longed for even. A sense of completeness overcame the magician; of knowing that this nervous detective wanted to be with him. Even if he was blushing now too because wow the detective looked really hot with kiss swollen lips. The memory of being exiled from heaven and never getting to see that face again haunted him, but he pushed it aside. Knowing just exactly how important the detective was to him and having that face in front of him now was like breathing fresh air for the first time in millions of years. 

So the famous moonlit magician reached for the detective's hands and uncovered that mouth, made sure to peck each hand, and gave Shinichi a long kiss on the lips, nice and slowly. The smile that the angel gave the detective when they pulled away was enough to take the breath from the detective's lungs. The way the corners of the adult's lips pulled up made his heart skip a beat. The Holmes geek wanted to make a sound but the way that the angel's face melted into a moonlit smirk made him forget all semblance of the Japanese language. Or any language he'd ever learned. 

"Any sound you make," Kaito said while he rubbed circles with his thumbs on the hips under them. Shinichi shuddered at how uneven Kaito's voice was. Once even and perfectly covered by a poker face, now was broken and gravelly. When the angel leaned forward to press a kiss against the neck he found in front of him, he continued against the skin there. "I wanna hear all of em." Kaito breathed hotly before running his lips against the skin, in turn making the blush deepen on the other adult's face. 

With a shiver and shaky exhale, Shinichi pressed his hands to Kaito's cheeks and prompted the angel to look at him. When he received two dark indigo violet orbs in return, his own lids lowered. The look in the magician’s eyes was dark. Sultry. A look that definitely would have gotten an angel kicked from heaven. And the kiss continued with Shinichi capturing Kaito's lips a bit more fervently than before. Their tongues met, wet and slick with the hint of their meals to remind them where they were. They weren't too busy memorizing each other with wandering hands to notice the sweetness of Kaito's mouth against the tartness of Shinichi's. They rarely enjoyed the taste like this, but somehow, mixed it was better. Their hands were feeling under one another’s shirts soon after. It took only moments before both men had their shirts off. Kaito unconsciously teleported both articles of clothing to their bed so they didn't become dirty as he nibbled the hollow of his lovers collarbone. Shinichi tried not to become embarrassed as he groaned breathily, just barely heard above the sounds of nature around them, before inhaling sharply and clenching his teeth together. Puffs of hot air hit that sensitive skin where Kaito had just given attention, the sensation unintentional on the angel's part, but not unpleasant in the least. Kaito enjoyed the sounds that he was eliciting from the detective. They were small, but every gasp and hitch of his breath was like a quiet song to Kaito. He pressed a long wet tongue against that freshly bruised collarbone he had been working on and felt the man atop him tremble, barely noticeable, in his arms. The arms surrounding Shinichi's waist tightened. The magician chuckled then, choosing to pull the adult on top of himself closer so they could both make their way, as one, over to the bed. Of course, for a human, moving at light speed had a few problems that came with it.

The speed at which they moved made Shinichi's head feel like he was inside a jet going mach speed. He hadn't even had a chance to wonder what had happened before he looked around and saw that yes they had indeed teleported together. The feeling of his brain taking that long to realize what had happened made him want to vomit, but he clung onto Kaito a bit tighter and received a soothing back rub while the hand around his waist grew a bit firmer as their weight shifted to that of a standing position. Shinichi had to wrap his arms around the angel to keep from sliding down. His legs felt like they would collapse out from under him at any moment. Everything happened in the blink of an eye and yet Shinichi processed everything as if in real-time. By the time he realized what had happened, they were already yards from their breakfast. Kaito felt a bit of guilt collect in his stomach but he also knew that the man would be okay so he had to keep himself from chuckling. 

"I'm sorry," Kaito murmured while he turned to sit down on the bed. The momentum sent Shinichi bouncing and the feeling of their erections rubbing together made both adults bite back moans. Shinichi bent back to focus his eyes on Kaito as he put his hands on the angel's shoulders for support. Kaito was leaning back onto his elbows for a leverage of his own. The weight of the detective above him left his heart speeding a mile a minute. He took deep breaths to try and calm his heart, but the expression on Shinichi's face was causing things to happen to his body. Excitable things that made his angel want to emerge because it had been just that long since he had felt all of the emotions that were coursing through him at that moment. 

Kaito watched Shinichi lean down to kiss him, his heart skipped a beat and his stomach fluttered; soared up into his throat and the skies above them. It was such a new feeling indeed. Far different than before he had his memories returned to him. And so, with his hand raised to caress the detective's neck, he skillfully flipped them over by shifting their weight at the hips. The startled yelp that his lover released was music to his ears. It caused laughter to bubble inside him, manifesting as a chortle. He yearned to touch, nibble, and prod the skin before him. The thought of playing with every part of the detective made him release the lips below him to take that perfect jaw in between them instead. He nibbled there, making Shinichi shudder under him. The feeling of excitement itched under his skin, made his wings shiver with faint ethereal energy. He had to take another deep breath to calm himself once more as he left fluttering kisses to the detective's jaw down to his collarbone. The soft, barely audible sounds that came from Shinichi made Kaito nearly growl into the skin he was still suckling on. The deep red mark he left on the porcelain skin was beautiful; cherry red and rose pink. It made him want to run his tongue along it. To taste the copper that he had the pleasure of bringing to the surface. It made him want to savor it and he was going to before his face was grabbed. The urgency of Shinichi's hands made his grin grow even more as he was pulled back up so he was kissing Shinichi. He could feel the great detective of the west mapping out every crevice of his mouth. Memorizing everything and devouring him. Kaito on the other hand was revisiting some of his favorite parts of the detective's mouth from the last few kisses. He was leaning on both of his forearms to kiss Shinichi deeply, but the urge to touch the detective was too great. One of his arms was sacrificed to the weight of his body so he could run his other hand down that delicious chest below him. The feeling of taut muscle under his fingertips made him shudder in anticipation. He felt the sleuth under him shiver as well when his fingertips passed over a nipple. Shinichi let out a heavy breath that tickled Kaito's nose while they breathed the same air as they kissed. The way Kaito was tracing patterns on Shinichi's skin was making the detective writhe under him even if it was barely noticeable; fingers were gripping sheets in spasms and legs twitched ever so slightly. It made heat grow inside the angel. He had to release the detective's lips so he could take a nipple into his mouth. The angel needed more than this. Gasps left his lover's lips as he played with the bud of pink. The way it hardened as he suckled and nibbled mixed with the barely restrained noises of pleasure coming from his detective's mouth was enough to make his cock weep against his pants. He had been doing his best not to focus on it, but it was becoming quite the problem. With one final long suck, Kaito pulled off the nipple with a 'pop' that made the detective's entire body twitch. He was satisfied to see it had darkened to a deep color like the rest of the skin he had paid extra attention to. 

"K-Kaito… that's-" Shinichi was cut off in his attempts to speak as Kaito gently blew cold air onto the abused flesh before massaging it soothingly with a thumb so he would pay the same attention to the other. The detective on the other hand was gripping the sheets and trying not to push Kaito away because this felt so weird but good at the same time. He had touched himself before, but it hadn't felt anything like this and no matter how many times he tried to collect his thoughts to focus on reciprocating the sensations, Kaito would touch somewhere else that would make him tense up with pleasure. When the magician noticed that Shinichi hadn't finished his sentence, he looped his tongue around the other's nipple and tugged with his teeth gently one last time, gratefully earning himself another groan before he removed himself from the male’s chest reluctantly. The way they both looked, completely out of breath and disheveled made each other even more heated as they met for a sloppy kiss briefly before Kaito pulled away again. He had to fight not to kiss that perfect face again as he spoke. 

"You okay?" He asked breathily, genuinely concerned as the man hadn't finished what he had been saying moments before. Shinichi caught his breath while panting. He nodded, releasing the sheets so he could hug the angel above him. Kaito let out a happy chuckle as the arms closed around him. He grinned when those arms tightened. 

"You tease." Was all Shinichi said as he took it upon himself to play with the skin on Kaito's collarbone now that he could think. The restrained groan he got in response made heat rise inside him. The way his erection ground against Kaito's as he lifted his hips made them both lean away and moan. When he released one hand to reach for their pants, Kaito chuckled.

"Teasing you is almost as fun as flying." Kaito joked and gave a toothy grin. It didn't suit his crimson face or kiss swollen lips at all, but Shinichi loved the way he looked. It made him roll his eyes and bring their faces together while his hand worked on both of their pants. The kiss lasted a short while before he finally got both of their pants unbuttoned and unzipped. When their lips parted there was a small line of saliva connecting their tongues. Kaito's tongue darted out again to lick the strand away. It made Shinichi's face fill with heat, but not from embarrassment. 

Kaito sat back on Shinichi's legs to take in the kiss sodden detective before scooting off and helping Shinichi shimmy out of both his pants and boxers. The sight of the sleuth's erection springing free from its confines made Kaito warm from head to toe. His own remaining clothing was discarded as he approached the bed again. Shinichi had sat up by then and they were inspecting each other's erections with very flushed cheeks. The look in Shinichi's eyes showed lust, love, and a bit of uncertainty. Kaito couldn't help but think the detective was looking at him while imagining things. Imagining great things. It was then that Kaito wanted to delve into that perfect ass again. He just about pounced onto Shinichi as he crawled over him onto the bed again. They both fell back onto the bed, Kaito making sure he didn't crush the love of his life. Shinichi was laughing as he hit the mattress. 

"You're adorable.." Kaito prompted with a grin and he leaned back to take in Shinichi. The look of the still chuckling, panting detective under him, flushed and waiting, made him lick him shiver with good bumps. The way Shinichi's brows furrowed at the girly compliment made Kaito chuckle. "Don't worry. Being cute only adds to that brain of yours." The angel reassured as he brushed some hair out of Shinichi's face. The gesture made the detective blush and avert his eyes. Kaito couldn't help but think his reactions were amusing. For someone so intelligent, he really didn't have a poker face to speak of at all. It was endearing. Now the magician didn't know which he liked better. Grumpy or cute Shin? "So many cute expressions." He stated in a whimsically teasing tone. The comment made Shinichi blush furiously and send that glare to him.

"I'm not cute..." Shinichi said as if that would somehow prove the sight in front of Kaito was anything but adorable. In retaliation, Kaito gave a wolfish grin and pressed a hand against Shinichi's swelling erection. The feeling of the hot, hard flesh under his hand made his heart jump, but his expression didn't change. The detective barely had time to muffle a moan. When Kaito licked the shell of his ear he released his mouth and a yelp slipped out. "Quit that! It tickles…!" Was all Shinichi could say as he tucked his ear into his shoulder. Kaito's mischievous smile didn't waver as he leaned away to look down at the feast before him. 

"Now now detective, that reaction," Kaito began as he lifted Shinichi's hand from the bed. "...was pretty cute." He explained as he gave that pale hand a long sensual lick from palm to the tip of the detective's middle finger. The motion and comment made Shinichi very hot. Though, he still didn't think he was cute. 

The look of apprehension on his face was more than enough to tell Kaito about his feelings. How the man could go from borderline narcissistic to this, over a few years was unsettling. Kaito couldn't help but bend over to kiss those perfect lips again. He wanted to show Shinichi that he was the cutest thing in the world and he would, even if they were in this castle. For now, this short, messy, and hot session would have to be enough. When they parted, Shinichi was wearing a small smirk of his own. His irises were blown with pleasure. The black orbs accompanied by a thrust of his hips into the moonlight thief's own hardened member was all that was needed to break the last thread of carefully woven control that the angel had. With eyes closed and teeth clenched, he groaned into the hot morning air. Energy pulsed around them, making the trees and bushes shiver. His hips bucked and ground against Shinichi in such a delicious way. It was only when the friction started to become uncomfortable that he paused to take a breath. Shinichi tried to steady his breathing under him as well, but he showed no signs of stopping as it was his turn to lean up for a kiss. One that was a gentle, honest, easy tangle of tongues, and when he pulled back Kaito was the one blushing. When he tried to hide it under that moonlit smirk, the sight made the detective's stomach flutter. There was something otherworldly to him now. Something that took the detective's breath away. He didn't know what it was, but Shinichi wanted to find out. Even if it destroyed him.

"You're a mystery, Kuroba Kaito." He began with a loving look. The sentence made the moonlit thief blush and his smile wane. "No, Uriel." Shinichi teased with a small grin. Shinichi watched as emotions bowled through Kaito's mind with the name on the detective's lips. The feeling of Kaito's cock pulsing against his own made them both moan. The sound of the angel's name made Kaito's head reel. He hadn't heard his name spoken by those lips in thousands of years. The flames inside him burned with a longing he never imagined he'd ever feel again. His reaction made Shinichi grin impishly as this was the first time Kaito had reacted enough for the detective to notice. "You enjoyed that?" Shinichi teased with a chuckle as he watched the angel's poker face dwindling. Kaito, despite trying to control himself, felt his mask slowly crumble away for what felt like the umpteenth time since they had confessed to one another. A feeling of adoration filled his stomach as he looked down at the young man he'd come to know over the past two years. Be it at his heists or like they were at that moment. 

"You haven't changed a bit." Kaito found himself mumbling as he threaded his fingers to rest the tips against Shinichi's scalp in a gentle fashion. The detective looked confused for a fraction of a second before he put the words together and a soft smile made its way onto his face. That made Kaito chuckle awkwardly with a blush. Of course, the detective was trying his best to understand everything and was doing his best to wrap his head around it, but there was bound to be some things like the situation they were in that was difficult to cope with. "Ahh, Sorry. I forget that my memories aren't just mine sometimes." He apologized as he gently stroked Shinichi's scalp. The detective's eyes closed and he shook his head with a small smile. 

"You're more than just Kuroba Kaito now. I want to know…" Shinichi began with a small blush as he opened his eyes to look at the man above him. The slightly surprised face above him made him blush and turn away. "...all there is to know about you." He finished as Kaito's face melted into a huge grin. It was the next kiss that changed things for them. Their hands were all over one another. Searching, memorizing. Tender and hurried as if this was the last time they would ever feel one another. Urgency. 

Kaito took it upon himself to nibble every part of Shinichi's torso on his way down to his real prize. The way each muscle quivered under his lips made him all the more excited. The detective knew what was coming but he still couldn't quite keep himself from gasping as the head of his cock was given a long teasing lick. The shiver that ran down his spine made his counterpart chuckle before Shinichi's erection was taken into the angel's warm wet mouth. A sharp shock of pleasure ran through his body like molten lava. The detective of the west squeezed an eye shut as he felt his abdomen tighten and his erection pulse. The pleasure ended at his toes, and his legs pressed against the bed as he felt Kaito slide his tongue against the head. He couldn't catch his breath. He felt that if he even so much as opened his mouth he would break the careful thread of control he had. Instead, he breathed shallowly through his nose. The uneven rhythm of Kaito's tongue matched only by the pattern of his breath, shaky and uneven. 

Kaito felt every throb and pulse that the warm rod in his mouth made. He breathed as steadily as he could. The size of the cock in his mouth was about the same as his own and it made sense since everything else was similar. As he took more of the firm flesh into his mouth, he opened his eyes to watch his detective come apart above him. That single eye that watched him swallow the cock in his mouth made his own throb. They met gazes, both seeming to come even more apart as moans escaped them. Shinichi let his head fall against the bed while his hips bucked into that hot mouth. He choked on another groan. With his body quivering despite his best efforts to stay calm, he felt Kaito begin to pull off of him. His fingers ventured into dark brown hair far softer than his own. The slight wave of it made it easier to hold on as the head it was attached to began to bob up and down.

Each time Kaito pulled off of the member below him, his tongue slid up the bottom vein which made the legs he was laying his hands on shake and quiver. Shinichi closed both of his eyes with a shaky chuckle. 

"You're not-" He gasped. "...too bad at this." The detective groaned out as he tightened his hold on the magician’s hair. The actions made the magician groan and pull off with a 'pop'. He had to wipe away a bit of saliva before he looked up at his lover. Shinichi's member was taken into the angel's hand to be stroked as he spoke. The change in stimulation made Shinichi's eyelids flutter and his breath hitch.

"You have no idea how much... practice I've had." He confessed to remembering all of his past lives. Without any further talking, he went back to enjoying the other man's body. His tongue laid flat against the bottom of his cock again as he lowered his head. The taste of precum on his tongue was salty, but not bitter. It made his erection throb in the cold air. In a single motion, he swallowed Shinichi's cock, opening his eyes in time to see the man fling his head back and release a long soft moan. He proceeded to allow Shinichi to thrust into him at his own pace before he hummed in pleasure. The flesh down his throat throbbed hard and he pulled off so he wouldn't choke. With the saliva and precum collected in his mouth, he held his hand out and drooled a small puddle into his palm. His other hand began stroking Shinichi again while he looked up at his lover. He took in the scene of the male unwound at his hands and smirked. "I'm gonna stretch you now." He explained and the words seemed to startle the detective out of his stupor. As he picked his head up to level pleasure hazed eyes he propped himself on shaky elbows. With a nod from the sleuth, Uriel continued. The makeshift lubricant was dribbled onto his partner's trembling hole and his middle finger gently massaged the outer ring of muscles. Occasionally it would sink inside Shinichi making him gasp, but just as soon, it was removed and that mouth went back to enveloping his cock. When he gave the flesh sensual, gentle licks, it made Shinichi shudder. The finger that was circling his hole sunk inside once again. But this time lingered, wet and slick inside him. The feeling was odd and made him exhale shakily, but as the magician’s mouth sunk on his member, the uncomfortable feeling was replaced with a pleasant tingling sensation. Things continued like this for a while until Shinichi felt himself begin to climb towards his first orgasm. 

"Th-that's… enough- Uriel..." Shinichi breathed after a while of his lover's ministrations. At the mention of his name, the angel nearly choked and accidentally quirked his finger which brushed against Shinichi's prostate. The feeling of being overstimulated made Shinichi nearly orgasm into his lover's mouth. As he arched his back and hips up into Kaito's mouth, the magician's other hand flew up to push those hips back down without pulling off. That had been amazing. Not anything like Shinichi had ever experienced. He had never played with his back end before. Always choosing to quickly rub one off rather than really explore his sexuality. Now though, he couldn't even imagine what this feeling was like. It was it's own feeling entirely. The single finger inside Shinichi was accompanied by a second after another short while but circled that bundle of nerves he wanted Kaito to touch so badly. He was so close. Kaito could tell and had to pull off of the cock in his mouth before he had to swallow. With a lick of his lips, he continued pumping those two fingers. A third was added, the finger stretching Shinichi further than he'd thought he could stretch. The feeling only made him even more aroused as Kaito continued breathing hotly onto his erection. The aroused yet mischievous look in the magician’s eyes was something the detective could look at for only a few moments before having to look away. It was difficult for him not to clench around the fingers in his ass, but the gentle prodding and stretching was helping to keep him relaxed. He had to lay back on the bed to breathe when the angel spread the fingers inside him. The fact that he was still thrusting his fingers made his lower half burn with an intense desire he hadn't felt before. After nearly coming two more times, Shinichi had to stop the magician and insist that he was ready. "I won't be able to… last much longer," Shinichi said as he covered his face with his hand, thumb and middle finger on his temples. Kaito saw the dark blush under his hand. It made his cock throb hard and he had to fight not to let his angel side out. He had done well so far. With a slow deep breath, he closed his eyes. He would control himself this time. He didn't need to bring Shinichi back from the dead again. So, as he removed his fingers and gave his lover's cock a final kiss, he stood up from the bed and watched as the detective maneuvered his own body. The slender frame flipped over, then rested with chest and head on the bed with his hips in the air: Offering himself to the angel behind him. The scene before the angel made him have to close his eyes again, swallow and take another deep breath before he put a knee on the bed. 

"You are so hot." The angel complimented as he put a hand on the detective's firm ass cheek. A shudder and goosebumps were all that Kaito got as a reply as he situated himself between the two pale legs he had come to know so well over the last 2000 years. The way his cock laid between the two globes of flesh, so perfectly, made him groan. He ground the hole a few times, spreading some of the pre-cum against his own cock and watching the mere sight of it before he lowered the head a bit more. The next thrust forward and he was nudging against Shinichi's hole. The detective gasped underneath him as he felt the tip push against him gently. One of his hands that had been holding onto the sheets flew back and held onto one of Kaito's which was holding firmly onto his ass. 

"Oh…" Shinichi gasped as the gentle push pulled away before pushing again. It grew into firm pressure that began to sink in before it pulled back out slowly. The detective's face buried into the sheets, eyes clenched shut and body as relaxed as possible. Kaito ran a hand up the small of his back then down over his cheek one more time before he pressed forward again. Then they felt Kaito's cock head slide in slowly but smoothly. "Fuck..." Shinichi cursed and shook as his ass was entered slowly. Hearing the raspy curse, Kaito paused, rubbing the junction above his hole between his cheeks. The head of his cock was barely inside and he could feel it bulging where he massaged. The sight of it made him pulse inside his lover, erecting a broken moan from the shaken frame before him. They stayed like that for a long time before Shinichi managed to release Kaito's hand from his death grip and put his hand on the pillow above him. 

"Just a bit more…" The angel breathed as his hand ran further up Shinichi's back soothingly. The feel of his hand reassured Shinichi to keep his back relaxed as much as possible. After a few moments, Shinichi nodded and Kaito continued his shallow thrusts in. With each inch, Kaito felt as if he were being swallowed. The muscle around him shuddered and shook with discomfort. As soon as he was fully seated inside his lover, Uriel bent over and kissed in between the shoulders he found there. They shivered under him and as he reached around to stroke Shinichi's erection he felt precum oozing from the tip. He felt his cock throb inside the detective. He expected the detective to be in pain, but realizing that he dealt with pain on nearly a daily basis. That may not have been a bad thing. "Let me know when it's okay to move." Kaito panted as he stroked Shinichi's cock in rhythm with the pulse he found there, using the precum as lubricant. The trembling body under him could barely turn his head but he gave Kaito the most intense sexually frustrated look that the magician had ever seen.

"Move." Was all that was ground out and Kaito couldn't help but chuckle as he pulled back and anchored both hands on the waist in front of him. 

"With pleasure." He said as he started pulling out. The way the walls around him tugged around him to try and pull him back in was a delicious feeling. He used some of his saliva as more lubricant on his own cock while he was pulled out of his lover. 

The plunge back into Shinichi's depths made Kaito give a breathy groan of his own, his hands only holding on a bit firmer to the hips in front of him and before they knew it a rhythm had been set. It was slow, deep and everything they both needed at that moment. As Kaito bent forward while keeping the rhythm, he reached for the sleuth's trembling hand to lay his own on top of it before their fingers laced together. Kaito nibbled and sucked another spot onto Shinichi’s shoulder and in many other places while they spent time like that. The little groans and breathy moans Shinichi gave were driving the magician off the deep end. It wasn't very long until the pace began to quicken as Kaito grew more excited. With each thrust, they both felt the pleasure growing. As the grip on the magician's hand grew tighter, Shinichi's stomach began to feel hot. 

"Uriel- I'm-" Shinichi tried to warn the other that he was about to come, but using his real name caused the angel to snap his hips forward right against his prostate and then the detective was coming. The feeling of the muscles around Kaito's erection felt like ribbons rippling against him and with a few more strokes he was nearing his own end. 

"Shin… me too-" he had barely finished his words when his own peak was reached and he teetered over, spiraling into the depths of pleasure while thrusting deep into his lover below him. Everything whited out then and Kaito had to slap a pillow over Shinichi's face as he lost control of his human form and released the angel within. The action startled Shinichi who had been recovering from being thrust into post-orgasm, but when he saw the light of a human form with wings under his eyelids and the pillow, he decided he shouldn't be too angry. The site of six wings stretching as far as he could see made his heart skip a few beats. Those were Kaito’s wings..?

Just as quickly as he had let go, Uriel collected himself, his human form appeared in a flash of ethereal light before he collapsed onto his arms. The feeling of his member sliding out of his lover still slightly hard made him shudder. The magician had to roll onto his side to keep from collapsing on top of his lover who was just opening his eyes as the pillow slid from his face. He blinked blearily and furrowed his brows. 

"I have... a spot of exposure... on my retinas," Shinichi grumbled as he and Kaito tried to catch their breath. Kaito gave an apologetic glance as he wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead.

"Shit… I really thought that would work better. Sorry, It'll go away…" Kaito assured as he took in gulps of air. Shinichi shakily raised himself to his hands, his knees stuck in place from the exertion. "Come here." Kaito finished as he held out a sweaty arm for the detective to lay on. Shinichi did so, dropping onto his side and shuddering as he felt cum drip from his stretched hole. They both lay there for a while, enjoying the sun bathing them in light. The feeling of orgasm tingled through both of their bodies and they both shared chaste kisses for a long while. 

"I love you, Kaito," Shinichi murmured in a low tone while his eyes closed. The feeling of fingers lacing through his hair made him smile. They were gentle, but playful, twirling a few strands every time they left his hair. 

"I love you too, Shinichi." The thief responded in that familiar moonlight tone that Shinichi had come to familiarize himself with, yet somehow, they felt a tad bit different. They felt deeper. The use of his full name, instead of his pet name, caused his heart to flutter. Somehow, it made the entire experience complete and Shinichi couldn't stop smiling. The hand in his hair didn't pause, even for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Kaito finally messes Shinichi's insides up: (✿˃̣̣̥᷄◡˂̣̣̥᷅ )


	14. Day Four, Part Four: Abomination

The two men remained in their bed, cleaned and covered in a pair of pajamas that Uriel had teleported to the linen room for. Shinichi silently thanked the angel for that specific ability. He had only felt the urge for something cozy and then the magician was gone as if reading his mind. The moment he wondered what had happened, the angel had reappeared with two pairs of clothing and promptly dressed them in the blink of an eye. Even without the smoke, the angel no longer needed to worry about others seeing him touch Shinichi. The act had been so quick, yet the ghost of his hands remained on his skin where they had touched him while clothing the detective. It made him shiver, feeling the fingers of someone with such gentle hands. They barely touched his skin. Simply gliding over the air just above his skin. The tiny hairs on his skin picked up the vibrations in the air as his hands passed and then his clothing was touching his skin. Sliding up his arms and over his shoulders, fastening in the front from top to bottom with a quickness Shinichi had never felt before from the magician. Then his undergarments and pants in the same fashion. The speed at which this was all completed was a mere second. Shinichi had caught those wandering hands after they stopped moving and silenced the surprised yelp that came from the angel's lips with a kiss. The image of the climaxing angel moments before had entered his head. The image had been all too clear under his eyelids, and the pillow. The wings outstretched above them, ethereal in their majesty. It has been unlike anything Shinichi had ever seen. Much like everything else they had seen in this ridiculous trip. 

Zadkiel popped in for a blink to clean out the dishes from the table, clearly knowing that he would need to give them time to themselves for a while. He didn't interrupt the two adults in the least as they kissed. They fell into a mess onto the pillows that still smelled of sex, intent on spending hours there before they had to finish everything that evening. Uriel was sure that the angels would be back for a final run-through of the plans before they executed them. The only hope was that the two fallen angels in the castle hadn't found out their plan. So, while they closed out the world with Eden, both men drifted in and out of their little world at their leisure. Eden cradled them and made sounds of harmony throughout the garden. They talked about many different things during that time. Shinichi talked of his childhood memories with Ran. About how he was growing up and throughout middle and high school. He made Kaito laugh quite a lot. He embarrassed himself even more, but when the angel started explaining his experiences about being an angel, he felt enthralled. The angel explained what it was like to fly in heaven. How it wasn't the same as birds flying, but rather flying on the hymns of the Seraphim. It opened Shinichi's eyes to a whole new world. He spoke of creating the galaxies, of the fights with his brothers and sisters, of growing up being the eldest and watching all his brothers and sisters growing up around him. How, it was so different from his memories of being an only child for two thousand years, but how he was still loved as much if not more. Though he had to debate on that and it made a tiny chuckle rise from the detective's stomach. They were at peace. It was only when lunchtime rolled around and started to pass by them at a late two o’clock that Haniel and Sariel came in to let them know that lunch was on its way. 

"Your mother is also on her way." Haniel reminded Uriel with an arched eyebrow which was rewarded with a chuckle. Not one to forget his poker face after all. He sat up in bed and was followed immediately by Shinichi who blushed and inhaled a bit too sharply. Sariel giggled but tried to hide it under her kimono. Kaito simply gave a grin and snapped his fingers aware of what had happened. There was a puff of gust of wind around them and a squeak from Shinichi before he tried slowly standing again. They were both standing in their respective shirt, pants, and turtleneck. Shinichi swayed, unstable on his feet after such a vigorous activity from just a few hours before. The magician standing next to him took his hand and held onto his waist, teleporting them to the table so he could sit the sleuth firmly in his chair. All the new sensations made Shinichi's head spin as he sat firmly but a bit quickly. It made his hole ache and he had to bite the inside of his cheek not to make any noise. Kaito grinned at Shin's complete lack of ability to use a poker face. The girls were also very amused but chose to politely bow and retreat from the garden. "You know, they're the youngest of all my siblings." Kaito pointed out as Shinichi shifted in his seat so he was facing the magician who was still standing next to his chair. 

"They act like it." Shinichi prodded as he remembered the way Sariel had giggled at him and Haniel avoided eye contact. There was a moment where both adults simply looked at one another, analyzing, before Kaito turned to go to his seat. Shinichi turned his attention to the koi in the pond as they swam around languidly. "The pond. Why is it a part of Eden? And the tree. What happened when you put your hand on it earlier?" Shinichi asked as the questions popped into his mind. The angel wasn't surprised at the questions and didn't find them hard to answer. 

"...The tree of life first appears in Genesis 2:9 and 3:22-24 in biblical lore as the source of eternal life in this garden, permission for humans to enter was revoked when Man was driven from the garden during our downcast.." The way he spoke was like looking at Kaito KID himself, but the detective could only take a breath and look over at the ever flowering Sakura tree. "It's a medium that connects the garden of Eden with Heaven where souls go before they are reincarnated." He heard Kaito say a bit sadly as he closed his eyes. "That's why I could hear my father. As an angel, I can connect directly with any souls that are still in Heaven." He explained further. Shinichi crossed his arms over his legs, trying not to lean back too far. 

"That's why you could hear all those voices at once." Shinichi offered and the angel confirmed his speculation with a nod. 

Shinichi couldn't imagine the pain he must have gone through. Hearing every single voice at once had to be overwhelming, to say the least. The unease showed on his face; brows furrowed, lips pressed together, eyes unfocused staring at the tree. Kaito, again, found his honest expressions endearing. Even if the man did try to suppress them. 

"I'm A-okay now!" Kaito reassured suddenly as he flexed a slim and muscular arm. The gesture made Shinichi blush in embarrassment and look away with a disgruntled look. 

"You never answered what the pond was about." He mumbled as he tried to control his face. He didn't know why the angel was so damn attractive when they looked similar, but maybe it was the difference in mannerisms. The way the magician laughed caught his attention.

"That pond is called Eve's tears. The fish inside are Seraphim who've been sealed inside the pond. Father would add to them as they stopped singing their praises for him." Kaito spoke bitterly as he gazed over at the pond. Fear hid behind a smiling mask. He knew why he had this fish phobia. "If I had been born under my father's hands even a day earlier, I would have turned out like them." His words were hollow and dry in his mouth. Shinichi swallowed as his gaze shifted from the angel's haunted expression to the pond. "They protect the key to immortality. Pandora." Kaito finished as he watched a fish swim in a small circle around another. The words felt ironic falling from his lips. All this time spent breaking the law in search of a jewel so he could destroy it. When in reality, it was inside the pond in this castle. His father had done a far better job at keeping the audience distracted while his trick was being set up. Misleading the organization with the idea that Pandora was a jewel inside another jewel while it was really a reflection of the water during the light of the full moon cast down into the pond. 

"What do you mean?" Shinichi could only ask as he tried his best to put the pieces together. The comment made the angel break from his thoughts with a grin. 

"I'll show you tonight before we leave." He said confidently as he turned from the pond. "The moon needs to reflect into the pond for this magic to work." He said with a wink and it was at that moment that Kaito's mother bounced out from the wing of the castle that contained the rooms. She looked refreshed, brushed, and had a ton of paperwork in her hands. Her shoes tapped on the stone walkway on her way to the lunch table. Zadkiel was not far behind with the lunch trolley. 

"Hello boys~," Chikage said in an excited tone. The fact that this woman could chat as if everything were normal appalled Shinichi. Then again, they had just had sex in an open garden. "I found some more stuff about the castle that I'd like to take with me." She explained. Casually as she dumped it all in one of the empty chairs before sitting next to it. Both boys blinked and watched as the storm Chikage spread papers out before them in a quick fashion. Purchase documents, and some other type of script that Shinichi had never seen before. "I found some more land purchase documents, but look at these fun things!" She chirped as the boys picked up the papers with the unknown writing. 

The writing was similar to Sanskrit which he had seen before, but the more he scanned the characters to try and decode the writing or find a semblance of pattern the more he realized his deduction of ancient languages was incorrect. When he put the paper down to look over at Kaito he was taken aback to see the other man's eyes were glowing faintly. The dark violet-blue now glowed a bright violet color, similar to small galaxies, and the white looked as if he had bulbs behind his eyes. Just looking at his eyes light up made the area behind Shinichi's own orbs throb in pain.

"K-Kaito..." Shinichi stuttered as he touched the magician's shoulder. Surprised, the angel blinked and averted his eyes from the paper. The moment he stopped reading, his eyes returned to normal. The inquisitive look he gave the detective made everyone at the table have to take a second to collect their thoughts. "Your eyes were just glowing." The sleuth explained after a moment and it was only then that Kaito's face broke into realization and amusement. 

"That's because I was reading Enochian." He explained as he glanced back at the paper and read a word. His eyes flashed but once he had looked away to Shinichi the light in his eyes faded. "Only angels can read it. It's a language that was brought to Earth with Adam and Eve. This language was meant to be shared with the Nephilim, their children." Uriel spoke seriously as his eyes returned to the paper and lit up again, scanning the paper and creasing. "It's a list." He spoke with slight disgust. "Of all the people who have ever come into this castle. Whether or not they lost their lives." He explained as he had to cast his eyes away. "Azrael always did love to collect things." He hated even saying the words, but the way Shinichi put his hand on the magician's forearms helped calm him a bit. Chikage, slightly haunted by the new information, collected the papers. She began straightening the large pile of golden writing and put it aside to focus on their meal. Kaito noticed the shift in mood, noticeably relaxed when the large pile was tucked away, and perked up when he saw food. Zadkiel placed a small buffet in front of them before he bowed and turned to leave. The magician couldn't help but salivate at the food. There was nothing quite like Zaddy's cooking.

"Ooohooo~ Thanks for the meal!" Kaito chimed in as he served himself and took a large bite of a roll after he'd buttered it. Shinichi watched both Kurobas dig into their lunch as he slowly picked food for himself with a content breath. Kaito, of course, noticed and paused in his gorging to give his lover a grin while a piece of rice stuck to his lip. Chikage was about to reach over to offer him a napkin when Shinichi reached over to gently remove the rice to press it against Kaito's lips. When a bit of pink darted out to lick that finger to take the rice between the magician's lips, Shinichi smiled with a blush. The gesture unconscious, but so meaningful to the adults and the mother. 

"Slow down, or you'll choke." Shinichi corrected seriously with a small blush. The obvious embarrassment on the detective's part was endearing to the angel and it made happiness well inside him again. With a grin, he nodded.

"Right." Kaito agreed, slowing down considerably as he looked over at his mother who was looking at them with a fond look of her own. 

"You two remind me of your dad and me." She said suddenly which made Kaito inhale a bit of his food. She chuckled over his coughing. "Why. He was all smooth talk and moves while I was a nervous mess." She teased and Kaito's face, if possible, grew even redder. 

"Mom!" Kaito begged through his remaining coughs while putting his hands on the table. Chikage laughed then. A great stress-free laugh that Kaito hadn't heard for a while. Not since he had been a little kid. It both startled him and made him a bit more at ease with his new relationship. Of course, it hadn't been that way with all his previous parents, but then, he hadn't always been bisexual in every previous life. So now, as he begged his mother to stop talking while she bowled over him in conversation about young love, he wondered if this would continue outside of the castle as well. In the end, as he covered his face in embarrassment, his mother talked to Shinichi about what her Kai had been like as a child.

"So he was always going to his father's shows~!" Chikage pointed out to Shinichi. She poured herself some tea and held the cup in her hands while she continued. "When Kai was older he'd help out with the shows, became a real ladies’ man, just like his father!" She drawled with a carefree smile. Kaito groaned loudly next to her while Shinichi tried to hold in his fits of chuckles. "But that's not all he got from his father." She explained as she turned to look at her son. "He also had a heart of gold." She explained with a kind smile. The blush on Kaito's face was small, but the surprise on his face was even more adorable. Shinichi caught a glimpse of it before it was hidden under careful indignation. The blush, however, remained firmly on his face. The detective of the west was beginning to get used to seeing all of the different expressions on the magician's face. 

"He may be a thief, but he has his heart and head in the right place. His stealing was well intended as he does return them in the end." The detective explained as the angel's blush grew even deeper. The nineteen-year-old simply laid his face on the table then. Choosing to grab a cucumber spear to shove into his mouth instead of adding anything to the conversation. Both Shinichi and Chikage shared a contented look at thoroughly embarrassing the angel. With silence falling in the three as Kaito chewed on his cucumber while bent over the table, the two remaining people shared other small-talk while they ate before the other three angels reentered Eden.

As they approached the table, Kaito looked up and met their gazes. Nothing in their expressions showed worry or frustration that would hint their plan had been given away, so he took a deep breath and tried to relax. As they sat down at the table, Haniel picked up the papers sitting on her chair and glanced down at them. Her caramel eyes glowed briefly and turned into the brightest gold Shinichi had ever seen. When she cast her eyes away in disgust barely hidden by her respectful demeanor, they stopped glowing. The paper pile was dropped onto the stone next to the table haphazardly before she sat herself down. Zadkiel who had sat down next to her glanced down at it, his eyes glowing bright blue before equal discomfort overcame him and he cast his eyes away. 

"It seems you have had more than enough time to search the castle thoroughly Mrs. Kuroba." Haniel prompted not looking back at the paper pile. Chikage nodded. "Good. That unchanging behavior is what we need to make sure that we don't get caught." She explained simply as she reached for a chocolate-covered strawberry. Chikage smiled reassuringly at her, more than aware of what was happening; a thief and magician herself. Sariel suddenly looked over at Kaito with widened eyes and opened her mouth in shock. 

"Uriel, you didn't tell us that Mrs. Kuroba was also an angel." She spoke, taken aback. Kaito, brows rose to the sky, looked at his mother in utter shock. "Sleight of hand isn't given to just any human. It is a gift handed down by light angels' ancestors. Humans can copy it, but only true Archangel or Seraphim can make things truly disappear and reappear flawlessly such as yourselves." Sariel explained further. He'd had no idea that she had been an angel either. Zadkiel crossed his arms. 

"I had assumed you knew and had returned her memories. How do you not recognize your own mother?" The earth angel explained as he leaned back in his chair. Chikage, who looked, probably, the most surprised out of all of them, glanced between all of the angels several times. Uriel, who had been surprised at first, looked very confused now and looked as if he was staring into space. "Uriel," Zadkiel said the archangel's name hoping it would get his attention. It did. The man looked at him in confusion. 

"Father must have altered my memories." He confessed while rubbing his temple with the heel of his hand. The frustration was clear on his face and it was foreign to Shinichi. He hadn't seen his boyfriend this upset. He normally kept his poker face on much better than this. "Come here, mom." He prompted as he stood from the chair. She looked at him, startled, confused but still had enough sense to act as rationally as possible as she stood. Kaito led her over to the double mattress which had been straightened and aired out. "Zadkiel, if you would, when I need you." He asked on his way back. Zadkiel simply stood from his chair and turned to follow them. The whole process made Shinichi uncomfortable. Kaito wasn't even explaining things now. 

"Are you returning her memories?" He asked through a few mental calculations. Kaito turned when he got to the bed, looking over at Shinichi with a perfect grin. The unease from before completely blocked out. It startled him. The nod that the magician gave only made him more concerned. If he was trying to reassure the detective, it wasn't working. 

He instructed his mom to lay on the bed and then waited until she was in position before he looked over to Zadkiel who was standing adjacent to the magician. The earth angel placed his hand on the frame and Shinichi watched as vines grew from the frame to wrap around Chikage's wrists and ankles. Startled, she looked to her son with a laugh. It was barely controlled. 

"Kai, are these necessary?" She asked and though her voice held amusement, her expression looked slightly haunted. Shinichi stood from his chair then and Kaito turned to him. 

"The process can be…. Painful, so this is to make sure that she doesn't hurt herself." Kaito said uneasily. Despite his best at trying to keep his poker face, the angel couldn't help but be upset about this. It wasn't like he wanted to cause his mother pain, but living life as a human when you were an angel… "Are you okay with this mom?" He turned to her then, inspecting her casual stature but noticed the slight quiver in her fingers. She clenched them then and looked at him seriously. 

"If it means remembering things I've forgotten. Please do." She said firmly, but in her usual cheery tone and Shinichi relaxed. With that said, Kaito turned to Shinichi once more and shifted uneasily. All the other angels in the garden turned to the only remaining human then. Haniel was the next person to speak up.

"The process requires Seraphim to be awoken, so you can't be here." She explained as simply as possible. The offended and confused look Shinichi gave made her continue. "Unlike when we simply read something, awakening an angel takes exceptional magical energy. The power we expel when awoken kills any human inside Eden." She explained as she stuck her arms in her kimono. The look of unease on Kaito's face was enough to convince Shinichi that she was indeed telling the truth. So, without another word, he turned and went over to the barrier where the castle met the rest of the garden. With everyone in position, Kaito placed his hand over his mother's eyes gently and looked over at Shinichi.

"This should only take a minute. Please, don't step over the barrier, no matter what you hear." He pleaded with an easy smile. The words sounded like the usual Kaito, but he could hear the underlying worry. He knew that the thief was trying to cope, just as much as he was. With a last nod, Shinichi stepped over the barrier threshold. As soon as he did, the light around him disappeared as the castle grounds welcomed him. He felt the chill of the stone creep in around him as if he were in a cellar underground. Silence rang in his ears along with his breathing. He put his hands in his pockets, surveyed the hall, and sighed. He was safe, for now.

The sound of Chikage's screams came soon after, surprising the detective. His adrenaline surged. The urge to cross back over was immense. Her cries were broken, gasping screams. They sounded similar to what Shinichi sounded like while he was transforming to and from his child form. The bleary ink of the walls made the screams echo. He shuddered. 

'She's okay.' Shinichi had to reassure himself as he heard Chikage choking on her screams. Taking a deep breath, the detective instead chose to focus on his surroundings, wondering if any demons were wandering around. He didn't want to go and die again before the night was upon them. When Shinichi remembered dying, a shiver ran through him sharply. He couldn't be distracted at the moment. 'Surroundings. Focus.' He thought in an attempt to ground himself. 

As he looked down either side of the hall again, there was no sight of any demons or either of the remaining angels. He bent down then. Settling himself on the balls of his feet. His body felt nothing like it had before death. He felt every movement. It was in pristine condition. He didn't feel tired in the least, whereas he had always been tired even just waking up in the morning before this. Despite having just been thoroughly ravished, his aching hole wasn't that much more of a bother to him than a sprained ankle. In fact, he felt like he wanted to play soccer very badly at that moment. The urge to dribble a ball with his feet burned badly within him. The screams continued growing more panicked. He swallowed and took a deep breath. Vaguely he wondered if there were any Doyle novels around the study that he might be able to read until tonight. Then he realized it wouldn't matter if he was caught by a demon, so he perked up again with another glance in each direction down the hall. It wasn't much longer before there was a flash of very bright light through the barrier. It broke through the darkness separating the inky black and tearing it apart. It was so bright that he could feel the warmth of it like a bonfire on his skin. The detective flinched in painful surprise before he stood, clenching his eyes shut. The light faded after a moment then all was silent again. The blackness of the enchantment returned around him, leaving him hauntingly void of all sound and sight. He had to take a deep breath again. As he was about to breathe out, Kaito was next to him, setting a hand on his shoulder. It startled the detective, who jumped and had to hold his breath, but still sighed when their eyes met. Kaito grinned as this happened. He looked tired but happy and Shinichi supposed that was enough to put his worries aside.

"Come meet my mother. The only remaining Seraphim." He explained while he gestured in such a KID way as he bowed with one outstretched arm. Shinichi looked nonplussed by this, but still walked forward stepping into the warm welcoming place of the garden of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chikage after she awakens: ଘ(✿˵•́ ᴗ •̀˵) Oh hey.


	15. Day Five, Part One: Retribution

There was a captivating moment when Shinichi broke past the barrier into the garden of Eden where he needed to gather himself. He was met with a susurration that buzzed deep within his head and behind his eyes. The doves in the great sakura cooed quietly as if unperturbed by all of this. The winds caressed the foliage gently and he watched as the leaves bobbed hypnotically. The greenery was alive with low murmurs, almost too quiet for Shinichi to hear while nature spoke in a chorus around him. As he set both feet on the stone pathway, the detective of the west settled his gaze on the petite figure sitting on the bed that he and the magician had been using. As Shinichi studied the newly awakened angel before him, he wondered just how different she truly was. He saw no physical differences as far as looks went. Much like her son though, she was moving with little effort. Her mannerisms seemed much more refined than before. She had a gentle smile on her face as she looked at Shinichi. Her hands were in her lap, one wrapped around the corresponding wrist. Shinichi noticed bruises disappearing on the tender alabaster flesh there and his eyes widened slightly. 

"Heyo Shin~" She spoke, her voice titillated as it had been before any of this had begun. It was an entirely different level of disconcerting that he hadn't seen before. He wondered briefly how Seraphim acted compared to other angels before Chikage hopped off of the bed, rolling out her muscles. The seraphim turned to Shinichi with a beaming grin so much like her sons before she put her hands on her hips. "Don't look so surprised. S'not like I changed that much." She said casually before she took a deep breath in. 

The garden shifted with her breath out, as if the winds of the garden were in sync with her very being. It was the first large rush of wind that they had all experienced arriving in Eden. The sleuth cleared his throat as if trying to discover his voice for the first time. His gaze wandered over Kaito who was also smiling his fool head off. When their eyes met, that large smile turned into a full out grin. It made him blush and avert his gaze back to Chikage who had given the detective her attention when he cleared his throat. 

"So what are the odds now that we have a single Seraphim and three Archangels?" Shinichi asked the group of ethereal beings surrounding him. Kaito laughed. Zadkiel snorted in amusement as he crossed his arms in his kimono.

"It is simple for Mrs. Seraphiel to do tasks that archangels have trouble with. She is the chief of the seraphim after all." He spoke highly of her and in turn, she rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue.

"Ya don't have to make me seem condescending. I doubt anyone’s still hailing Father 'is praises." She said and for some reason, this made Shinichi have to stifle a laugh. When she noticed the small wheeze Chikage turned towards him pointedly. "Nd’ what are you laughing at?" She asked in the same offended tone that he had heard from Kaito frequently. He shook his head with a lingering smile. 

"It's nice to see that neither of you has changed," Shinichi explained as he looked over at his boyfriend who was smiling back at him as usual. It made him feel safe, which he hadn't felt secure in his surroundings since before the Black Organization had shown up. It was a nice change. He felt a smile appearing on his own face, much to his surprise. He hadn't been smiling much since returning to his original body. But he had been smiling a lot more around Kaito, and that was saying a lot. "Are you okay to finish up your lunch?" Shinichi asked Chikage suddenly. The newly awakened angel smiled broadly and nodded just as vigorously. 

During their lunch, they strategized heavily. They talked about the two Angel's habits over the last two thousand years. The habits of the humans who have come into the castle. Every movement they had taken in the last two thousand years. It was a very broad and intricate conversation. They began predicting movements and thought processes. Kaito and Chikage produced all the paperwork that they had collectively searched the castle for. They looked for any patterns to speak of. Shinichi sat back and absorbed all of the information thrown at him like a supercomputer. He had never given thought to religion and ethereal beings before. Nor had he given any thought to witches, demons, or any type of god. The only things he was interested in were tangible. Now though, as he sat holding the hand of his angelic boyfriend under the table while they strategized, he realized that this world was something he could feel. Feel and kiss and- wow, this was probably the first time during a briefing he had ever let his mind wander. Sniffing, he crossed his legs and placed his arm in his lap as casually as possible while he returned his attention to the angels while they murmured to one another. Kaito immediately noticed but didn't show it; only squeezed Shinichi's hand and grinned as his mom made an offhand comment about Azrael being the sweetest baby of the bunch growing up. Zadkiel snorted as he sat back in his seat, holding a cup of his tea in between his slender delicate hands. 

"He may have started innocent, but Father sent him spiraling when he outcast Lucifer. That boy has become nothing but a nuisance instead of being the benevolent angel of death that he was supposed to become." The angel chastised before he took a sip. Seraphiel and Uriel never stopped smiling, but the detective could tell that they were both mulling over his words by the way that their hands made patterns. Chikage only scratched the table gently in small motions, hiding it behind her other hand. Kaito rubbed his thumb over the top of Shinichi's hand in a soothing motion, more for himself than for the detective. Shinichi noticed both and reciprocated Kaito's motion with his own thumb for a moment before they both stopped. 

"The same thing happened to Abaddon," Kaito spoke as he leaned on his free hand while his elbow sat on the table. His amused smile never changed. "We were all thrown out for one reason or another. The only ones who went sour because of it were those two." He elaborated further while Haniel and Sariel passed their attention between the two older angels. Kaito continued then before Zadkiel had time to retaliate. "Even you three were allowed in Eden, which they weren't allowed. You can't imagine what it must be like for those two, who have nothing but the stone floors of the castle." He finished. While all the angels grew uncomfortable then. Eden was so welcoming. Much more than the walls of the castle, which were dark and foreboding in the dimension they were stuck in. There was nothing for them to do but play with black and red magic. Shinichi was the next person to speak over the silence. 

"That being said, it doesn't change the fact that they kill for fun." The way his eyes downcast to where the table ended, insinuating he was looking at the paper stack on the stone pathway, made all Angel's nod collectively. Zadkiel put his teacup down while Uriel squeezed the detective's hand in warm agreement. Shinichi looked to each one of them as they studied one another in silent fascination before Shinichi inhaled. "Now that we've had time to go over the plan," Shinichi began as he released Kaito's hand. The magician pouted but watched as his detective stretched an arm up into the air. His opposite hand held onto that arm and he leaned over sideways, feeling the muscles in his side stretch. It was a welcomed feeling and Kaito couldn't help the small blush that overcame him when he heard the small groan leave the other man. The thief was pulled from his thoughts when the detective spoke again, the sun laced through his hair like Kaito's own fingers. "I'm going to go work the knots out of my body." The detective spoke with a barely contained delight. 

Kaito's eyes, intent on the interesting display in front of him at the time, paid no mind to the remaining angels in the garden as Shinichi strode slowly over to a clear part of the grass while the sleuth rolled his sleeves up. Kaito paused, putting the tea down that he had been drinking, to raise himself from his chair and teleport over to the bed, where he tossed himself onto his side, head in hand, and eyes back on his lover. Shinichi was currently stretching, his side to the magician so he could see the way the detective was able to bend forward and touch his toes. After that was done, he stood and stretched his arms in front of him across his chest, pulling with the opposite arm. The way the Shinichi stretched in front of him reminded him of how things used to be before the B.O. had shown up. He remembered the early mornings watching the surveillance cameras. Watching Shinichi wake up before dawn to his alarm, stretching on his way to the bathroom for the morning after he had finished rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He remembered the way his back muscles twitched under the alabaster skin. Now, watching the detective bend to touch his feet, Kaito felt a small blush settle over his face at the memories. The magician might have felt ashamed had he not been completely justified in that the detective had far too many enemies. There had been more than one occasion where he had watched criminals creep onto his property for revenge. If he hadn't thought ahead to put traps on his property with inflatable balloons that recorded any voice messages received during the trip to the police station, the detective would have woken up with criminals in his house. Or worse. That thought brought him back to reality quickly as he reminded himself that there wouldn't be incidents like that in the future. Not if he could help it. He closed his eyes as Shinichi bent both arms behind his head and grabbed onto his elbow with the corresponding hand to stretch the muscle there. The way his chest puffed out as he bent back slightly was etched behind his eyelids heavily. The memory of Shinichi throughout time overlapping in his mind and leaving the ghost of a smile on his face. The sun beat down a bit harder on his face then, his heart fluttered as he realized this was his feelings reflecting in the garden. The memories of his entire life growing up were flooding back into his head as if under a different concept of time than before. Happy memories, sad memories, excitement, and anticipation filled him as he lay there under the sakura tree, the leaves only letting parts of the sun peek through lighting up patterns across his face and body. The wind blew gently, rustling in the trees flowing petals. His mask slowly slipped away. A smile made its way onto his face, warm and genuine. The way the doves above him chirped happily above him in the trees made a sigh well up inside him, coming out slowly in an even breath. 

"You seem pretty relaxed." The familiar voice caused his smile to become a grin. He peeked one eye open to find that Shinichi was leaning over him, his forehead had a slight sheen of sweat and Kaito had to wonder how long he had wandered off into his mind. 

"You seem pretty... energetic." He said as he inspected more of the sleuth's demeanor with both eyes. It appeared he had worked out for quite some time as there was no longer a shirt on that pale chest that was heaving slightly. His hair was completely out of place, almost resembling Kaito's mop. As he looked to the tree above, he noticed that the sun no longer shone through the leaves over his face in the same direction as it had when he closed his eyes. Shinichi caught his attention again a moment after he finished speaking as he leaned back, narrowly avoiding a droplet of sweat dropping onto the bed. 

"I feel…" He was silent for a long moment before continuing. "I'm not sure how to explain it." The detective spoke seriously as he flexed an arm a bit. There was a pause before he continued. Kaito sat up on the bed during the silence. "Restless. Like I've been renewed and I can't wait to use my muscles again." He explained further, still slightly confused about his own body. Kaito's grin slipped easily into a moonlit smirk at Shinichi's words. He understood full well what Shinichi was explaining and honestly it didn’t surprise him. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed at the same time.

"That's because I returned your body to the physical health from before you were turned into the little detective. You’re still the same age as you were before you died. Well," He explained as he lifted his hand to look at it. "...more than that, I restored your life to your body. The strength and essence. Your soul." He said seriously as the smirk was turned up to the flushed damp face of the person above him. Shinichi was blushing. He wasn't sure why, but that smirk always made his heart race. The words, on the other hand, filled him with something he hadn't felt for a while; embarrassment. Together, his stomach was doing flips. After all, the literal walking, talking, breathing, Angel in front of him had indeed brought him back to life. From the pits of purgatory. It sent a fearful shudder through his body that Kaito seemed to notice. The smirk dropped from his face as he caught the look of panic in the detective’s eyes. Shinichi's expression looked haunted, confused as he tried to pull himself together. When Kaito noticed this he took hold of one of Shinichi's hands and stood up. "What, was it something I said?" He asked, knowing full well that if he asked if the detective was okay, he would simply be brushed off. Shinichi, realizing that Kaito had noticed his discomfort, tried to smile reassuringly. The thought of falling inside blackness, not knowing where he was, not knowing where Kaito was, the feeling of panic for hours on end, screaming, vomiting until he began to dry-heave, voice hoarse, feeling like space was closing in on him, tears falling up his face instead of down-

"Purgatory-" Shinichi blurted as his eyes widened. He clamped his mouth shut when Kaito's eyes widened, averting his own eyes and trying again. "I remembered purgatory." He concluded glancing back at Kaito with a frustrated stare. He felt somehow less like himself by admitting that he had been bothered by this. He didn’t want to be scared. He wanted this all to disappear. The feeling of himself falling had been in his dreams when he napped earlier. It was stupid of him to think this would all just go away because he wanted it to and as he caught Kaito's broken, defeated eyes he realized that maybe he wasn't the only one dealing with his own demons. Now he couldn't look away from that broken expression, the way his shoulders slumped and the teasing nature disappeared from his demeanor. 

"I thought…" Uriel began, his breath leaving him all at once. He had to breathe in again to continue. "I thought I'd gotten to you soon enough." He confessed suddenly. The words came out full of dismay. Something the detective hadn't heard in his tone before. The hold on his hand was shaking. "The hours wouldn't have been imprinted if I was woken sooner," Kaito spoke, voice barely over a whisper. Shinichi's hold on that shaky hand grew firm then, prompting Kaito to look up. When he didn't respond, Shinichi stooped down onto his haunches and caught his sullen expression. The sun had become overcast, yet the rain hadn't begun to fall.

"Kaito, you did your best. Don't blame yourself for what happened." Shinichi spoke firmly. "Besides. I can play soccer again." He reassured while rubbing the top of Kaito's hand with his thumb. The action was simple but extremely reassuring for Kaito. Some of the clouds seemed to fade then as Kaito looked to his lover. Shinichi offered him one of his genuine smiles then. The ones that Kaito hadn't seen since before Shinichi turned into Conan. He remembered how he would turn those smiles towards Ran, but now… now that smile was pointing right his way. "I'm alive because of you." The sleuth spoke honestly. Not a breath later Kaito was pulling the detective into a tight hug. It was warm and firm but didn't hurt Shinichi at all. It reminded him of that hand that had reached out to him when he thought he wouldn't be able to take much more of that black. It settled the buzzing inside him to a low hum and he found himself wrapping his arms around Kaito in return. The hum of contentment he let out made Kaito rub his face into the nape of his bare neck. 

"I love you, Shinichi," Kaito said slowly with more emotion than Shinichi had ever heard before, making the detective's heart skip a beat. It made his cheeks brighten and his arms break out in goose flesh. The sound of Kaito's tone of voice was so quiet and raspy, yet low and thick with feeling. It stirred happiness in the detective. The dark clouds were gone. Replaced with fluffy white clouds, framing the castle walls almost perfectly. Shinichi breathed in the scent of the magician then, breathing in deeply with a smile. 

"I love you too, Kaito." The words fell from his lips like the sakura blossoms from the tree above them. They were soft, steady, and settled into Kaito's ears sweetly. They opened a door to his emotions, letting them all fall out in a single wave. The way he shuddered with a sigh concerned Shinichi for a moment before Kaito leaned away and grinned his fool head off. It made Shinichi smile in return.

"You’re too perfect," Kaito murmured which made Shinichi blush. He no longer thought of himself as perfect, but maybe there was a way he could get some of that confidence back that he'd once had. So, as he picked up his hands to hold Kaito's face in between them, he urged himself forward so he could capture the angel's lips. The gesture didn't seem to surprise the magician in the least as he laid his arms on the other males’ shoulders in a gentle yet laid-back manner. The feeling of their lips moving against one another made both men shiver as excitement ran through them. Shinichi had to pull away to collect himself, feeling the buzz of pleasure from just a single kiss linger in his body. When he pulled away he watched Kaito's tongue dart out and lick the remnants of the saliva on his lips. He had to close his eyes and take a breath to calm down. When they opened, Kaito was sitting on the bed with the two still in a partial embrace. The position was slightly awkward and Shinichi had to stand and then sit next to his counterpart so they could partially face one another to talk. Kaito's smile never left his face as Shinichi repositioned himself. "We have a bit more time before nightfall." Kaito began slowly as his expression turned mischievous. When he waggled his eyebrows the detective across from him rolled his eyes. 

"Kaito, just because you restored my body to its original state doesn't mean I can keep up with your stamina," Shinichi spoke as he felt the ghost of a throb where his hole once hurt. 

The feeling was almost all but gone, however, he still had difficulty sitting in the chairs by the table on the other side of the garden. When Kaito heard what Shinichi said he immediately nodded, but Shinichi could see the pout that Kaito was trying to hide. Shinichi thought his pout was probably the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Not that he'd ever admit to that out loud. Shinichi did lean forward to kiss those pouting lips, which turned to a pleased smile when he pulled away. Without another word, Shinichi leaned forward again. His lips lingered a breath away from Kaito's only for the blink of an eye before Shinichi felt the rough warm texture of the angel's lips meeting his own. The pressure was simple and perfect. The action itself showing Kaito that, while they weren't going to be having sex, they could at least do that much. From there, the two played with each other; teasing with teeth and tongue. Lips were kiss swollen, tugged, and pulled. They rolled around on the bed, capturing each other's mouths again and again. There were periods where they laughed at one another, riled each other up, and simply lay there staring at each other. The garden came alive around them with the emotions they shared; the wind whispered, the shrubbery chuckled, the cherry blossom murmured. It was unlike anything that Shinichi had experienced. Otherworldly entirely, but not unimaginable. 

By the time the sun had begun setting, Kaito and Shinichi were asleep. Both boys were as they had been when they had fallen asleep; facing one another with one pair of hands laced together between them. The only movement in their sleep had been to move closer. The sun left the courtyard, leaving both boys covered in the shadow of the cherry blossom. As the chill of the evening began to creep up on them, Shinichi awoke with a slight shiver. Realizing the chill was setting in with the descent of the sun, he blinked his eyes open blearily. As soon as he had woken up and breathed in he felt Kaito's hand twitch. It was only a moment later that he felt that hand squeeze a bit firmer which caused happiness to bubble up inside him. It snuck out as a smile as his eyes closed again, briefly wondering if things would continue like this after they had escaped before a yawn ripped his mouth open. His eyes watered and there was more blinking. When that didn't help he reached up with his free hand which he was still partially lying on and wiped some of the tears away. The magician's own violet orbs peered through dark lashes then. The sight of his cute boyfriend across from him rubbing the sleep from his eyes was just too cute to wake up to. The thought that this was all very real and happening to him made his head reel. His hand rose with a small shift of weight and he was cupping the side of Shinichi's face. The sudden touch was surprising to the detective, who still had his eyes closed to wipe the sleep from them. When he opened his eyes, however, calm returned immediately after realizing it was only the magician. Kaito’s gentle smile met him. Not the moonlit smirk, not his grinning mask, but just Kaito, simple and whole.

"We fell asleep," Kaito said as if both of them couldn't figure that out. Shinichi chuckled at the honest statement. Of course, he would be thinking cheesy things like this and then Kaito would go and be an airhead again.

"I realize that Kaito." Shinichi concurred in a flat tone causing the other male to grin. The next moment that passed was spent with both young adults looking at one another before Kaito pecked Shinichi on the end of the nose with a quickness the detective had yet to fully observe. Before the sleuth could react, Uriel was at the far end of the garden as if in the blink of an eye. When Shinichi realized what happened his mouth opened before he threw himself up from the bed. "Hey! It's not fair when you just disappear like that!" He complained loudly as his eyes finally caught sight of the thief who was sitting on one of the original benches that had come with the garden. Kaito let out a high whistle before grinning. One of his doves flew down and sat atop his head. The others soon followed. 

"I didn't disappear Mr. Detective, I simply stopped being in one place and transferred my physical mass to a different part of time and space." He explained while he proceeded to pet one of his birds calmly. Shinichi forgot to shut his mouth after a moment but swallowed and stood from the bed. Time and space… he loved quantum theory, but that's what it was. Theory. It had never been proven that time travel existed. Was this similar? Lost in thought, he realized that Kaito was now staring at him in amusement. "I've become even more of a mystery, haven't I?" Kaito asked, breaking the detective from his deep thoughts who responded with a scoff. 

"No more of a mystery than before I knew your identity." The detective spoke honestly as he raked a hand through his hair and made his way over to his lover who was watching him intently. "All I traded was knowing the human part of you and finding out there's a whole other you that not even you knew about." He pointed out making Kaito chortle in response. The sound was pleasing to Shinichi's ears. 

When Shinichi's feet carried him the rest of the way to the bench, the dove on Kaito's head cooed, ruffling its feathers as it settled further into the hair it found there. The smile that Kaito gave the detective was cocky and it made Shinichi want to kiss that mouth so it would disappear; however, before he had a chance to do so Sariel emerged from the inky barrier, just outside the tower to the foyer. Both men looked over at the female archangel who was smiling kindly at them. She was followed shortly after by Zadkiel and Haniel, who had just finished grooming the external property. Chikage entered the garden, causing a flutter of the garden far larger than when the others entered. She smiled around at them all happily then at her surroundings as if saying hello to everything around her. 

"Your mother will be following us into this," Sariel explained to Kaito who had risen from his spot on the bench. Shinichi followed close after, the two young adults walking closer to the table and chairs. After sitting down and eating dinner, everyone went over the battle plan again. 

"This will be loads easier if we have a Seraphim working on our side. We don't have to get Azrael to say the incantation anymore." Kaito added in a relaxed tone. This was all turning out to be a far better situation than he had originally thought. Shinichi didn't understand why he was so calm but attuned it to his angelic abilities. Only when he looked over at Shinichi did he finally understand the magician's thought process. "Since we have my ma helping us, I want you to stay here," Kaito explained to the detective who visibly tensed at the thought of Kaito going into such a dangerous situation without him. His immediate instinct was to dispute this statement, but before he could complain, Kaito had shaken his head. "I know that you want to help, but this is a fight you should stay out of. You could easily get killed." Kaito pointed out. Shinichi was uncomfortable with being told things he already knew but this, this was something he didn't want to admit. He wanted to be there. He had already planned on being there. Now he wasn’t allowed to go because someone more powerful showed up. He got that. It was logical. So why was the detective’s brain telling him that he should be upset? It took Chikage taking hold of his other hand for him to relax and look at her instead of staring at his boyfriend. 

"He's right. We can protect you, but only if you let us." She offered in a tone that told him she was very serious. "The only way we can successfully do that is if you stay here. Inside Eden." She started carefully. Shinichi was frustrated. The detective didn’t want to be protected. He wanted to help. He had never felt so useless in such a dangerous situation before, but he really couldn't do anything. He knew he couldn't. Their only plan at first had been to essentially use him as bait. That, Kaito didn’t see as an option anymore because of his mother. Because they were ethereal beings and he was a mere human. So with a disgruntled sigh, Shinichi settled back into his chair and crossed his arms. All the angels around him seemed to relax after this. 

"Good. Now we can go over the plan once more before we put it into action." Zadkiel stated as he placed his arms together interlacing his kimono sleeves. Kaito took hold of Shinichi's leg gently and left his hand there in reassurance. The detective let his hand remain there, only wanting to hear about the plan. There had to be no mistakes. They needed to anticipate every move that the two fallen angels made. Every habit, good, bad, and neutral needed to be started.  
The angels were very thorough about the information they passed around. Each one knew something about a different situation that happened in Heaven. Both fallen angels were very particular about how they spent their time, not too overzealous when it came to planning these “events” as Zadkiel had called them. No humans had ever been as persistent as Kaito and Shinichi had been. Let alone the help of the leaders of the seraphim, Seraphiel. The thought entered Shinichi’s mind that the two Kuroba’s may be able to touch each other now that they were both real angels, but hadn’t seen them touching in any way. Chikage really must not have been very physically affectionate aside from her bursts of hugs she gave here and there. He wanted to ask them but kept it to himself as he didn’t think it was his place to ask. 

“Twilight is coming soon. We need to start getting ready.” Uriel stated as he felt the sun on his face. Shinichi instinctively reached for his hand, the angel grasped onto it when he felt it nudge his own. “We have about fifteen minutes before we need to go.” He said and Shinichi’s heart sped up. Fifteen minutes until things were out of his immediate control. Fifteen minutes until Kaito was no longer where he would be able to keep an eye on him. But then he had to remind himself that he was the one that needed protecting right now. He didn’t want to remember dropping for hours inside purgatory, but that was what happened every time he thought of death now. Kaito noticed Shinichi was clearly on edge. The angel smiled, turning to him and meeting his eyes. “Everything will be okay.” He said in a carefree tone. The detective didn’t seem too convinced. His brows were still creased, his hand still holding firmly to his own. Kaito closed his eyes with a sigh, the smile never leaving his face. Slowly he bent forward, his forehead resting on the sleuth’s own. “Trust me. It’s hard to kill an angel. We’ll all be okay. Even Azrael and Abbadon.” He said rubbing his nose against Shinichi in a gentle way. The breath that Shinichi let out was a bit reassuring. The way his hands relaxed, even more so. The other angels in the garden stood from their table.

“We will be at the tree of life,” Zadkiel spoke calmly. “The prayers of those who move on give us the energy we need to use our strongest magic. You should join us as well, Uriel.” He finished as they shared a nod before the angels let the two men alone. Shinichi immediately gripped the magician’s jacket, his eyes filled with unease. 

“Be safe. I want you to come back in one piece.” Shinichi’s voice was quiet but hard as he fought to keep his emotions in check. This was the first time that he would be the one waiting while someone else did the dangerous work. He could understand how Ran felt every time his foolhardy self pranced off into danger. He needed to apologize when he returned. Kaito, who had been studying the love of his life, smiled sadly then.

“I know this is going to be hard for you. But tonight isn’t a game of cat and mouse.” Kaito began in a solemn voice. Shinichi’s brows furrows. He knew that. This wasn’t a game at all. That was why he wanted to be there. He wanted to express himself without getting angry, but when he spoke, his words were still biting back at Kaito.

“I’m angry that I can’t help. I know it’s not a game. I love you too much to lose you. Not when I fought years denying how I felt.” Shinichi said, finally confessing that he had, indeed, been in love with the magician since they had begun their games of cat and mouse, he just didn’t know the feeling compared to his relationship with Ran. “You keep saying this plan is fool-proof and from my calculations, it seems like it will work, but if even one thing is off I could end up losing you and maybe even myself. Even if I do get reincarnated, I don’t want to end this life here with you now, when we’ve just started to live it together!” Shinichi hadn’t realized he had started to shout until Kaito was hugging him tightly. His form was shaking. Of course, he was angry. This entire situation was absolutely absurd and even though he was thinking of thousands of ways to help prevent any problems, who knew if there was one thing that he wasn’t thinking of since angels and demons were a completely new concept. So Kaito clung to him tightly as Shinichi clung to him, shaking in anger. 

“Shinichi. I promised you that I would show you, Pandora, remember?” He said in a quiet voice. Shinichi said nothing, but he knew the young man remembered. “I do plan on making that happen.” He explained as he pulled back to look Shinichi in the eyes. What he saw was a scared little boy again. Obviously not an actual boy, but the eyes looking back at him now reflected all of the insecurities and vulnerability that he had felt up until that point. Every discomfort and confused feeling rising to the surface. “I can promise you without a doubt that I will be coming back.” The magician said shortly before planting a kiss on the other man’s forehead. The gesture made a knot form in Shinichi’s throat, but before he could say anymore, he began to feel very faint. As if something was pulling him into the thralls of sleep. And the next time he tried to blink, his eyes never opened. Kaito’s lips drifted away from his forehead then, catching the detective as he drooped over, completely asleep. The other angels, completely aware that putting Shinichi into a sleep stasis was necessary, avoided looking at the couple. “I’m so sorry Shinichi…” Kaito mumbled as he picked the detective up princess style and carried him to their bed. “I’ll be back, I promise.” He assured the sleeping sleuth as he gently placed him on the mattress. The detective didn’t move. Kaito would have thought he was dead had it not been for the moving of his chest. As he turned away from his love and faced the other angel’s a single tear ran down his face. 

“Are we ready?” Kaito asked as he walked over to the tree. The other four angels nodded, their expressions turning solemn.

“Let’s begin,” Sariel stated as she held her hand out for Zadkiel to take. They circled the tree and lowered their head, the prayers of the fallen lighting their very cores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shinichi after finding out he's the only remaining human being in the castle: (⚆_⚆)


	16. Day Five, Part Two: Deliverance

The moment that Kaito took his mother’s hand for the first time after she had returned to an angel and could pass over to his reality, he was so happy that he had cried. Of course, he would never tell the detective that. His mother has teared up but shed no tears. They had sat there for a moment just glad they were both alive before Kaito had gone to retrieve Shinichi. As they released hands now around the Sakura tree, the prayers of the generations passed, driving them to do what was right, he was glad that he was able to talk to his father one last time. And a few other ancestors who had passed. It reminded him that he wasn’t ever alone. He had people who cared about him. People who wanted to keep him safe and he was happy. He thought he would be more upset, leaving Shinichi here, safe, while he wandered off into battle, but he felt oddly calm. He knew that there was a risk of this going wrong. There always was with things like this. Somehow though, this just reminded him of a heist. The way his heart raced, the way his mind ran with possible scenarios as they grew closer to leaving Eden. He had only seen one Angel ever go to the jails in purgatory, but he remembered that angel also being released and cast into hell out of spite. Something no one else but the angels currently in this room knew. So now, as they gave one another a final nod and the Kurobas gave reassuring grins to everyone, the group made their way separately to the grand hall. This was a place where the two fallen angels spent a lot of their time.

“Most of the time they just sit there and watch their demons fight amongst themselves. Just be wary. We may have to exercise some to make this work properly.” Zadkiel told the group during the briefing shortly before they left. The group had wondered about that as well.

Sariel and Haniel entered the hall first. They had always hated this room. It wasn’t anything grand. Just the room on the fourth floor of the main tower on top of the foyer, but every time either of them entered, the demons tried to tease them. Being the youngest of the group of angels and the weakest amongst the whole group, the two angels had a hard time putting their foot down. During the briefing, Uriel and Seraphiel had explained that this would only change if they raised their angelic powers to higher levels. So during the times when Kaito and Shinichi had been relaxing in the Garden, the eldest angel, Chikage, had been helping the two of them raise their powers. It wasn’t an easy process. It required constant awareness of everything around them all at one time. They needed to be listening to the remaining prayers in the world while also managing their daily lives. The constant diligence was to expand their minds and therefore their powers.

As they entered the room, the two angels were met with the foul stench of rotting flesh. It had indeed been quite some time since they had been in to clean this room. The two fallen angels didn’t like being bothered after all. Especially during days in which there was a game underway. So when they opened the door and their eyes started burning, they both fought back the urge to show that they were bothered. It was difficult every time. But better than having the two fallen angels laugh at them. 

Azrael and Abbadon were sitting at the banquet table on the far side of the room, a large stained glass window behind them was lighting them with a variety of reds, blues, greens, and yellows. The room was covered with hundreds of demon corpses that hadn’t yet disappeared. The two angels were in the center of the main table. They had the same clothes on that had been on them from before. Despite the room being covered in blood, the two angels who had witnessed the carnage were completely clean, untouched by the havoc that had just taken place. Haniel stepped on a cat demon head while she entered the room, her brow creasing the slightest bit. Sariel stepped in a pool of blood as she entered from the other doorway opposite the one that Haniel had entered. It was still on the same side of the room, having the hexagonal shape that the room did, they were able to enter from two different sides of the castle, yet still, enter on the same side of the room opposite from the two fallen angels.

When they opened the doors and stepped inside, the demons that were on the floor vanished into dust, purified by the two women who entered. The remaining demons stopped their squabbling to turn and make various offending sounds. The two corrupted angels turned to their pure counterparts and their faces were bored, unamused. Abbadon was the first to set her drink down that she had been twirling in her champagne glass. 

“What do you two want?” Her voice was annoyed, angry that they had been interrupted. Sariel, the older of the two of them, took a few steps into the room and the demons screeched at her. Irritated by them, she waved her hand and the ones in her immediate area were wiped away from existence. 

“We’re halfway through the ten-day challenge and the mortals haven't died yet. Do you plan on staying in this room the entire time?” She demanded in an authoritative voice. Shocked by the newly developed ability, the two fallen angels simply stared at her before Azrael laughed. It was an empty, crazed laugh, yet sounded as if he had heard the funniest joke ever. It made Sariel shiver and the demons around him shake in fear. 

“It looks like the two younglings decided to try becoming more powerful,” Azrael said as he put his goblet of wine down. The man stood then, waving his own arm and mumbling a short incantation. The demons in the entire room receded into the walls around them, melding into the shadows. The sheer power of being able to control over a dozen demons at once made Haniel shiver in fear. She hid it well, crossing her arms and clearing her throat. The two corrupted angels looked at her then, amusement clear in their faces.

“The three humans that you trapped in the castle this time are smarter than you think Azrael. You should be careful before they find the only way out of this castle.” She spoke with mirth. It made Abbadon furious. She threw herself out of her seat, picking up her champagne glass and hurling it at the gardener. Haniel barely dodged it, her head moving a bit to the left, and the glass shattered, some hitting her back as it clattered to the floor. The gardener didn’t seem phased, though she was a bit shaken inside from the speed at which the glass has moved.

“Don't talk to us like you know what’s going on Haniel!” The angel roared. Haniel stood there, unaffected by her anger, which was unusual for the young angel. Abbadon seemed to notice this and she smiled a slow, creaky stretch of her lips. It was quite uncomfortable to watch. Her stature was stiff as she straightened so she could place a fist on her hip. “You two… What have you been up to?” She asked as just then, there was a huge explosion that shook the entire building. Haniel and Sariel felt their heartbeats pick up as they tried to keep their footing under the shaking building. When the shuddering stopped, everyone was silent for a moment and then Haniel chuckled.

“I mean, we did warn you,” Sariel spoke then, catching their attention. Just then, there was Zadkiel, appearing before them in his kimono and not his butler suit. He stood in between the two girls, his angelic wings pulled up behind him. The two girls looked spooked as if he were not supposed to be there. And Azrael pounded his fist on the table then. The three pure angels looked to him. The angel of death was fuming, hair falling from its usual place slicked back, his breath was fast. He was coming unhinged.

“What the hell is going on here?!” He demanded in a booming voice. The shadows seemed to bounce his voice all around them, despite the beautiful stained glass, there wasn’t much sun to speak of. The way the silence followed afterward amused all three pure angels and caused Abbadon to stand on her feet as well. Both corrupted angels were baffled, infuriated even, yet they didn’t understand what was happening. 

“If you couldn’t tell,” A voice spoke from behind one of the doors as two more angelic presences suddenly appeared behind the doors to the grand hall.

“We managed to find a way out.” Another voice from the other door spoke as Sariel and Haniel gasped in surprise. They turned, opened both of the doors to reveal Kaito and Chikage Kuroba, who walked in calmly past the two youngest siblings to settle themselves in between the other three angels and the corruption they came to seal away forever. This entire situation had thrown off the two fallen angels, who looked very confused and outraged that this would even be happening. Humans never just challenged them like this. Not five days into the challenge. And certainly not looking freshly washed. The angelic presence was tied to them as well. It made their head swell. Abbadon was the first to speak.

“You’re Seraphiel and Uriel.” She said almost in disbelief but covered it in anger. Everything with these two was always covered up with anger. The angel of fire took a step forward, her being lighting in a flash with red before her wings appeared. 

Originally a reddish-brown in some places, Abbadon’s wings were beaten, burned, and bloodied. Parts of her wings were missing, with red leather-like skin in its place, as if she had been burned. The Archangel and Seraphim standing in the center of the room burst into a burning light. The power of their magic ridding the room of all shadows and purifying every corner of the room. At this point, Azrael also transformed into his reaper form. Angelic abilities unleashed, his darkness surrounded him closely, being nearly choked out by the blinding light of the two powerful angels across from him. 

As the group already knew, Azrael began chanting an incantation, his voice too low for anyone to hear. In retaliation, Zadkiel began reciting his incantation under his breath just like Azrael. The two youngest angels unleashed their magical abilities as well, to pairs of wings pulling inwards towards their owners as they took a few steps forward to provide support for the two stronger angels in the front. 

Abbadon, who had seen the two youngest angels advance, threw her hand out, fire exploding from her fingers in an arch before firing off at the youngest, Haniel. It was immediately blocked by Uriel, who simply stretched his arm out and the fire was split going over Haniel and into the floor. He was heavyhearted, but his poker face stayed in place as his father had taught him. This was, after all, a show. With a grin at the two fallen angels, he took a step forward, becoming center stage. 

“Now now!” He began in his KID tone. “You two have given everyone quite some trouble. I finally got my memories back and the reunion was a bit less than I expected.” Kaito said as he grinned. His hands tucked together inside his kimono, the grin never leaving his face. “The last time I saw you two…” Kaito seemed to stop for a second, thinking, causing both fallen angels to pause as well, though Azrael didn’t stop his murmurs. Kaito finally snapped his fingers and looked back at them. A chuckle left his mouth then. “You two were about this big.” He said holding his hand up to his armpit area on his chest. Azrael had his eyes, closed now, ignoring the taunts from the Archangel. Abbadon yelled as she threw more fire his way. Kaito simply flicked his wrist and it changed direction to go into the ceiling. Abbadon let out a frustrated yell at that, but he continued, his voice had become serious now. “You two have been stuck here for years, meddling with people's lives, this was meant to be a prison. You were given the entire castle and yet still chose to play around.” He spoke seriously. Abbadon threw her wings back, a giant fireball erecting itself in between them before she launched it forward with her wings. Kaito only stretched his six wings out and opened his arms. The fireball was absorbed into his chest as if he were the sun itself, his eyes glowed like small galaxies. “Enough is enough. Let’s just put you two to bed. Alright?” He said as he raised his hand and all of a sudden Azrael raised his hand, the chanting stopped and his eyes were staring intently past Kaito. 

There was a sickening choking noise that came from behind him and the youngest angels gasped, one choked on a scream. Kaito listened as Haniel screamed out Zadkiel’s name, heard his body hit the floor with a dull thud, then the room was silent again. He refused to give either of the two fallen angels the luxury of turning around as he knew damn well what had just happened. That enchantment was sacred. Only an adult angel of death was allowed to have that spell. An angel who still sung Father his praises simply to help the human race pass to the next incarnation. This was not an incantation that a fallen angel should have. So when he heard the angel drop dead behind him, he felt his anger rising underneath the mask. He needed to keep his composure, but he was reminded this wasn’t a show and Shinichi’s voice reminding him of that rang through his head. Life wasn’t a show. Sometimes people got hurt, whether you wanted them to or not. Because of an unknown variable. So when the two girls ran over to their brother, crying out his name again, Kaito felt the air around them stir with his angelic power. It resonated, pulsed around the room. His glowing eyes became hard then. His wings turned a dark red and golden color, his halo that had been previously nowhere to be found, was now shining above his head in a blinding golden light. His kimono shuddered with power around him. 

The two fallen angels took a step back before Azrael began reciting again. This time, Chikage had already been chanting her incantation. Her power had slowly been increasing up until this point but skyrocketed with her son’s when she realized the man that had helped raise her and Uriel in Heaven was now dead. Her wings became solid gold, her short hair, and kimono flowing around her as she placed a hand on her son's shoulder. Her own eyes shone gold, shining in an unearthly way as well. When her hand touched her son’s shoulder, Kaito began to chant as well. The last few words left their mouths together and the entire room was shaking again.

All the angels watched as the stained glass in the window shattered and began falling away. Slowly, what was revealed behind the window was not the sky outside, but a door. And it was at that moment that Abbadon and Azrael knew what was happening. They both turned back to the other angels in time for the doors to open and there was an intense air that was sucking everything out of the room. That didn’t seem to bother any other angels too much, but when several black hands of many different shapes and sizes emerged from the shadows within, the two fallen angels tried to teleport away. Before they could even think about it though, their bodies were covered with the black grips, spiraling around the angel’s bodies. They were pulled back, their faces being covered slowly. The only thing that Kaito saw as he watched the process happen, was the violent screams of his siblings and their panicked expressions as they were sucked into the depths of darkness forever. It made a lump form in his throat. He wished he could have talked them out of this behavior. But he understood. They had slowly gone insane from this behavior. Years of neglect from Father. It had led to Zadkiel’s death. 

Turning just as the door fell away and revealed a perfectly intact stained glass window, his eyes finally ghosted over the empty body of the angel who had become another victim in this entire thing. His body was being picked up by Haniel, who was sobbing all over the place. He admitted it was refreshing to see someone who was able to fall apart like that. He wished sometimes that he didn’t default to becoming numb. It was his coping mechanism though. A way for him to deal with his own emotions the way he needed to. So as he stepped back towards Zadkiel, Seraphiel followed behind him. He heard her take a deep breath and had to swallow down another lump in his throat. Never forget your poker face Kaito. 

“Bring him back!” The magician heard Haniel scream. It tore a hole in his stomach. Sariel shook her head.

“You know I can’t do that,” Sariel explained sadly. Her expression was hard as her own tears fell silently. She wanted to control herself too, but her tears wouldn’t stop. The monocle that Zadkiel always wore was lying next to his head, only a foot away. Kaito picked it up, the clover on it was cool under his glowing fingers. He took a deep breath in and when he released it, his angelic form was gone, leaving a human-looking Kuroba Kaito. Seraphiel followed soon after.

“Let's bring him to Eden,” Chikage spoke solemnly. Her voice choked up at the end but she swallowed and grit her chin. Now wasn't the time to cry. Kaito was stuck in his own world. Regret over having just sent two people who he actually cared deeply for, to an existence where they would only go more insane. Self-hate because he knew damn well they weren’t going to be able to kill the pair of angels. It took a whole incantation for an angel of death to be able to kill a single angel. Not to mention they didn’t even know which incantation the angel had used to remove Zadkiel’s soul from his body and destroy it. So Kaito could only nod numbly as he picked up Zadkiel’s body and looked at his sisters. 

“Come on.” That was all he could say. The way his heart ached wasn’t much like when Shinichi had died, but he would still miss what was essentially his uncle. He remembered the man raising him in heaven. Coming over often with the two youngest, who he watched over at the time. He was, after all, their father. Aside from their Father God, who they just referred to as Father. The two girls, who were red in the face, released their angelic abilities, returning to their human forms before standing. They looked dejected. Sad. Angry, but they nodded. Haniel scrubbed the tears from her face and tried to stop her sobs. 

When they arrived at Eden Shinichi was still laying on the bed, peacefully sleeping the moments away. He debated on waking the detective up but thought against it as they walked Zadkiel’s body over to the great Sakura tree. The trunk cradled his body inside a small cove on the tree. The garden whispered but this time it sounded sad. The flowers cried, the grass wept. The tree itself could be heard releasing many different voices, all crying out in pain. The garden wept for the loss of an angel. And as the clouds overcast them, Kaito went and sat next to Shinichi, his hand brushing the sleuth’s hair out of his face that had been moved by the gentle breeze. 

He had done all of this with Shinichi. Sure, the man hadn’t been there for the final part of this entire thing, but he was there, in his mind, reminding him of who he was. Who he wanted to be. The young adult had raged the war with him, by his side. He was no ordinary human. Kaito would never forget this series of events. They would be stuck in his mind forever. Hopefully for Shinichi though, they would fade away with time. Such was the curse of the human mind. As he leaned down to kiss Shinichi’s forehead, a hand came over to the side of the sleuth’s head for support. The man’s skin was chilly, cold from being uncovered and unmoving in the cold night air. Kaito wished he had put a blanket on the poor detective before he’d left. Setting up the explosion for distraction had taken a bit longer than he had thought. When Kaito removed his lips from Shinichi’s forehead, the magician pulled away, looking down just as the man below him shifted in his sleep, as if awoken by the kiss itself. Shinichi’s eyes opened slowly, blinking and then squeezing themselves shut as he shivered. 

“Ugh… What..?” He grumbled as he raised a hand to touch his head. Kaito gave an apologetic smile that the detective hardly saw. Of course, the temporary sleep he put Shinichi under against his will would have messed with his head. Thankfully the extent of that was only a headache. When Kaito placed his forehead against the detective’s he closed his eyes with a smile. 

“I’m back,” Kaito said as if coming home from a day of work. Shinichi was very confused. He remembered Kaito getting ready to leave and then he had gotten really dizzy. The panic set in before he even realized it. Clutching the arm of Kaito’s sweatshirt, he opened his eyes to look at the magician above him. Kaito could see the worry in his eyes and gave a sad smile. “I’m okay.” He said, but his smile slowly turned sour and was dropped. “But Zadkiel was killed.” He explained which made Shinichi’s eyes widen. He sat up suddenly, making sure not to hit Kaito as he did so. He grabbed the blanket that sat at the bottom of their bed and wrapped it around himself, stepping onto the grass. Kaito led him over to the tree in silence, his arm wrapped around the detective in support as he seemed a bit unsure on his feet, having just woken up from hypnosis. When they arrived at the tree, Shinichi watched as Zadkiel’s limp body was absorbed into the tree slowly. Light emerged from the tree where his body touched and slowly his body began to sink in. Sariel and Haniel put their hands together in prayer, heads bowed, tears streaming down their faces. The way they cried, bodies shaking in the darkness under the cloudy moonlight, he wished that he hadn’t fallen asleep. He was still a bit confused as to what happened, but he understood well enough that they had lost a member of their family. All the angels had. 

“Thank you Zadkiel. For helping to put this to an end. For saving us all.” Shinichi said suddenly, his voice was low, quiet, not wanting to interrupt anyone, but the girls heard, and their tears flowed a bit harder. As the last of Zadkiel’s body disappeared into the tree, Sariel swung around, wiping the tears from her face in a hurried, embarrassed motion.

“Haniel,” She began, not looking over at the girl who was looking up at her with teary eyes. “We’re free now.” She said as she pointed towards the outer boundaries of the castle. The inky black was gone. The snow that was on the outside of the castle had begun to fall inside of Eden’s walls. A flake fell right on Shinichi’s nose causing him to wipe it off. Haniel wiped her eyes for the fifth time and sniffled, nodding as she looked beyond the castle grounds as well. Shinichi watched as the two girls took each other's hand and walked over to Chikage, who was standing a bit farther back, trying to hold herself together. Shinichi sighed then catching Kaito’s attention. Curiosity getting the best of him, Kaito glanced over and tried to offer a smile. 

“What?” He asked simply hoping that Shinichi would be truthful with him this time instead of putting off his feelings. The magician waited for a reply. They were both quiet for a moment, watching the girls talk to Chikage, who hugged the two of them and finally broke down. Seeing that exchange prompted an answer from Shinichi. 

“All of this because of an experiment,” Shinichi said, his voice oddly hollow. The arm around Shinichi's shoulder tightened ever so slightly. “Father is selfish.” He said suddenly. “Just like the humans he created.” He didn’t say anything more after that. They sat in silence while watching the three angels across the garden comfort one another.

Slowly, the clouds began to clear from in front of the moon, the snow never stopping, but the moon shining down onto the garden below. The water in the pond light up dimly, a red color filling the pond as if the bridge had fallen in and melted. The bridge though was still in one piece in an arch over the pond. Shinichi noticed it first, taking a step away from Kaito, who was still lost in thought. When he separated from the angel, it removed the magician from his thoughts. Immediately looking over at Shinichi’s he followed his line of sight. His eyes settled on the pond, widening when he remembered he had told Shinichi he would show him, Pandora, after all this was over. Taking a few strides to catch up, Kaito took hold of Shinichi’s hand, gently grasping it which earned him a little squeeze in return. The two of them approached the pond, watched as the fish swam away with a quickness. They all looked red in the water. When they stopped at the water’s edge, the outline of a mass at the bottom of the pond caught Shinichi’s eye. Kaito knew exactly what it was, removing his hand from his lover and advancing into the water. 

“Wait-” Shinichi began but cut himself off as he watched Kaito sink into the pond and bend over to pick up the rock that was left in the bottom. When he removed his hand and turned to exit the water, Shinichi just looked at him dumbfounded. “You- The fish…” Shinichi could only say as he looked at his boyfriend exiting the pond. Kaito grinned at him, his soaking wet clothing slowly drying off as he heated his own skin. 

“These aren’t actually fish Shinichi.” He reminded the sleuth as he presented the other male with the stone. It was crimson red on the outside, but inside the stone was a dark purple one that shone in the bright light of the moon. Shinichi looked at it intently, wondering how exactly it was the key to immortality. “We just have to destroy this now, so no one ever comes looking for it again.” He started as he gripped it in his fist. The stone was small, no larger than half the size of his palm, and yet it had caused so many people to lose their lives. In the next second, all that seemed to not matter anymore. There was a crunching sound in Kaito’s fist before a flash of light covered by his hand and then Shinichi could smell something smelting. When Kaito opened his hand again, the Jewel had been turned to complete dust, vaporized by the rays of ultraviolet light that had come from his hand. The wonder that Shinichi felt for this object, the urge to know more, had doubled at that moment. It was always when the things were gone and not in his grasp that he wanted to know more. Hopefully, Kaito could share more information about it with him someday. It was just as the pond turned back to normal that a voice spoke from behind them.

“You two.” They faced the voice and were met with Chikage, who was currently wet faced and trying to recover from the time that she came undone just moments ago. She smiled at them, offering support even though they were all clearly a mess. “We’re taking Sariel and Haniel with us, okay?” She said and they nodded.

The way that the doves flew out of the tree when Kaito whistled this time was hurried and yet so tired. They had plenty of things to eat in the garden of Eden, but they could tell their master was exhausted. They were stressed because of all the things going on. And uncertain of everyone but their owner. So when they landed on him and he tucked them away, he gave each one an extra pat on the head of a ruffle of feathers.

Kaito looked over his shoulder at Shinichi, the boy had just finished a fresh bath and was getting dressed, the angel had finished the bath together with him as to not leave him alone. Who knew what was left in the castle. Even if they weren’t in the void anymore. The man was pristine, alabaster skin making dips as it ascended downward. But mentally, the damage was pretty severe. He had nightmares when asleep and flashbacks when awake. It was hard on him, but at least Haibara wouldn’t need to continue physical therapy. No, Haibara would want to talk to Kaito about Pandora. That was for sure. 

“I think you should move in with me,” Shinichi said suddenly. Kaito, surprised by the sudden offer, grinned in excitement and chuckled.

“Miss me already?” He teased and Shinichi scoffed while rolling his eyes. Of course, the magician couldn’t see the eye roll considering the detective was facing away, but he turned so he could show the magician his creased brows, trying to hide his blush with his irritation. Kaito felt giddiness grow inside him. It had been a short while since he had seen that expression. 

“You wish.” Shinichi retorted as he swung his turtleneck over his head and pulled it down. The magician chuckled, putting his shoes on then. He knew how the detective felt if the last few days had been anything to account for. As the magician stood on his feet, his shoes scraping the stone floor, he wondered what it would be like to share a house with the detective. All of his fathers’ things were in his mother’s house. Though he supposed he could always go over to the house before heists if he even chose to continue doing any. The trips back and forth would be much easier now that he could teleport. The tricks he could do now… The possibilities were endless, yet somehow Kaito didn’t want to continue this life. “I’m just saying that because your sisters are going to be living in your place now right?” Shinichi continued after sitting down and putting his own socks on. His shoes were next as he looked up at his boyfriend, who was looking at him with his usual half-smile. They were both quiet for a moment, waiting to see if the other would answer before Shinichi looked down to tie his shoes. Kaito walked over to him and bent down, resting his head against the other male. The position was awkward but neither of them seemed to show it as they continued as if nothing had happened. 

“On one condition,” Kaito spoke in a quiet tone, so close that he need not speak louder. Shinichi finished off his second shoe then, rolling his head upwards, meeting Kaito’s violet orbs with foreheads and noses pressed together. The magician’s eyes were soft, calming, and held a bit of mirth. 

“What condition?” Shinichi asked, a small amused smile showing on his face as he closed his eyes, his nose brushing the others in a loving gesture. It made Kaito huff out a short chuckle before he spoke.

“You better come to my magic shows when you have time.” The magician offered in return, which made Shinichi blush, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he let out a small chuckle of his own and moved closer so that the angel’s lips were pressing against his own. The kiss wasn’t anything deep as both men were smiling, but they enjoyed the small moments when they could pull themselves together long enough to get in a proper seal of lips. When Kaito started laughing harder, he pulled away. “Have I told you how perfect you are?” He said as he rested his forehead against Shinichi’s again. Shinichi looked into his eyes, a broad smile on his face as he put his hand on the angel’s head.

“Liar.” He said as Kaito laughed. Kaito’s hand came up and rested on top of the sleuth’s own before he sat up, both of their hands sliding into a sitting position on Kaito’s knee as he knelt in front of the love of his life. 

“I may lie, but only to keep my identity a secret. What I said before is the truth. My love for you. It’s real. In my eyes, you are perfect.” Kaito said, making the other young male blush and clear his throat. He stood, his hand still holding onto Kaito’s as it lifted off his lap.

“If you’re done embarrassing me, we should get going.” The detective said, clearly uncomfortable with the amount of affection he was receiving. Kaito chuckled under his breath but stood, holding Shinichi’s hand in his own as they exited the bathroom. The walk down courtyard walkway to the foyer was quiet. The area of Eden had sealed itself off shortly after everyone had exited. It was the last time he had spoken to his dad. It was long into the night now. Around two-thirty in the morning. The moon was bright in the sky. As they entered the foyer, they were met with the three remaining angels, their belongings packed, and ready to be put into the car. Kaito reached into his coat and ruffled one of his bird’s feathers. It cooed. “Are we ready?” Shinichi asked the group as they all turned to him with multiple nods and hums of agreement. They picked up their things, turned to the door that no longer looked like a black inky mass and Kaito opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chikage and Kaito when Zadkiel is killed off permanently:   
> ー═┻┳︻▄ξ(✿ ❛‿❛)ξ▄︻┻┳═一ー═┻┳︻▄ξ(✿ ❛‿❛)ξ▄︻┻┳═一


	17. Day Six: Corollary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * The song Kaito plays in this chapter is called Perspective by Ivy Rue on her Mandala album
> 
> I highly recommend giving it a listen during this chapter. (◠‿◠✿)

The drive back to the Kuroba home was quiet. A stark contrast from the first ride to the second was haunting. The sound of the engine shifting gears was the only noise for a majority of the way. Neither Sariel nor Haniel spoke for the majority of the ride. Chikage has immersed herself in thought, only making short conversation with her son, who was also trying to make the best of the situation but could tell the others were all preoccupied. Not even Kaito was making much noise, but doing simple tricks the entire ride like juggling the candies he still had. He offered one to Shinichi, who took one without really thinking about it and popped it into his mouth. It brought back memories of the first few days and he shuddered, immediately looking for anything out the window where he was seated to try and rid himself of some of the more horrible memories. All it sufficed to do was cause him to focus on the shadows amongst the trees he found there and somehow he thought he could see demons crawling amongst them. Closing his eyes, the detective carefully took the empty wrapper out of his pocket, and as quietly as possible he took the candy from his mouth and put it back into the plastic. He knew what he was seeing were just memories, but they made the candy sour in his mouth. If there was one thing he hated, it was sour and bitterness together. Kaito was sitting in the middle, stuck between Haniel and Shinichi. The three barely talked to one another unless it was to apologize for bumping into one another during a turn or curve. Sariel was too preoccupied looking out her window in the front passenger seat to talk to anyone. Neither of the youngest angels had been allowed out of the castle grounds, so they mostly looked out the gates or windows the entire time. The only instance where they stopped was when Shinichi asked to stop for some food at a gas station. It was around five-thirty in the morning at that point and around when he usually woke up and he was exhausted. He needed coffee. Even cheap coffee. But mostly, he just wanted something to stop the stupid images of carnage and darkness from plaguing his mind. He went in as Mrs. Kuroba went to put more gas in her car, just as a top-up so she didn’t have to do it again before she drove to the airport in a few days. 

“Humans have changed Earth a lot, haven’t they?” Haniel asked the remaining adults in the car suddenly. Sariel nodded silently. It’s seemed as though she didn’t want to speak much now that Zadkiel wasn’t around. She hadn't spoken much before that either the more the young magician thought back on it. Kaito hoped that would change the more she was here. Until then, Haniel was going to be a big help to the girl, he could tell. 

“Things have advanced." He began, getting his sister's attention. "Some, you can't bring to the castle, like this gas station. Others you've probably seen before, like laptops or construction equipment. I’m sure there'll be lots for you and Sariel to experience.” Kaito explained as he looked at her with a smile. He was tired just as she was. He could see the look in her eyes as she turned her head from the window to look at him. “Mom will be there for the first few days. So you have time to acclimate to your new life. We’ll be moving things out of the house as well to give you guys your own space. That way you won’t have to go back to that castle and I can move in with Shin.” He said in a reassuring tone. The girls were silent for a long time. He wondered if they would say anything before his mom or lover got back in the car. They seemed to be contemplating life. What they would do from now on. What their plans would be. Sariel spoke up quietly after another short bit of silence. The car could be heard filling with gas as they waited.

“Thank you for protecting us. We wouldn’t be here without you.” She said sadly with a bit of mirth in her tone. Uriel smiled ruefully at that. Maybe all three of his family members would be here with his mother and him if he had done something different. But Zadkiel couldn’t have anticipated this. None of them could have, so this was one of those one in a thousand chances where a deduction didn’t go well.

“You should be thanking my mother too ya know. She was the one who helped with everything. Without her power, if everything had played out the same way…. We may not have made it at all.” He said just as distastefully. The three of them fell into silence for a short period before Haniel spoke up.

“We were thanking her earlier when we finished putting Zaddy to rest.” She said his nickname and it sent a twinge of pain through all of their chests. Kaito nodded quietly but didn’t say more. Shortly after their conversation ended, the two remaining people entered the car and they continued on the road. The smell of coffee was sharp in the air as they pulled out of the parking lot.

It was silent again, occasionally they would hear a coo from the doves in Kaito’s coat, but he quieted them down with some free time out and about on his person during the ride. By the time they got back to the Kuroba household, the four people who weren’t driving were all fast asleep. Having exerted themselves to that extent, Chikage wasn’t surprised. When she pulled the car into their driveway and saw all of them sleeping in a pile in the backseat with Sariel sleeping with her head against the window in the front. She didn’t want to wake them, but she needed to get them inside. Now that her car was home, it would be easier to teleport around town without leaving their car places. Bringing the car back had been necessary, but far slower than just teleporting to where they needed to go. 

With a deep breath, she settled her thoughts and gently put a hand on Sariel, who jolted awake with a small panicked sound which died off when she realized where she was. The two boys in the back woke up when the car shut off but came to when they heard Sariel. Haniel only woke up when her head dropped off Kaito’s shoulder and got caught by the seat belt. She was startled awake, her hands stretching out to catch her before she realized she was falling. Kaito placed a hand on her shoulder and helped her sit up, feeling her shiver under his fingers. The door to their house burst open suddenly and Jii burst through the door, tears of happiness in his eyes as he realized it was Chikage’s vehicle. 

“Madam! Young Master!” He called as Chikage exited the car to run over to him. While she met her family’s assistant, Kaito and Shinichi exited the car, followed by a hesitant couple of female angels. They stepped out slowly, looking up at the houses surrounding them as if seeing the world for the first time. “You’ve been missing for six days now!” Kaito heard Jii cry in hysterics, the poor old man looked fairly shaken. “I thought you were dead.” He continued as Chikage patted his back in an awkward motion. Kaito chuckled when he saw her attempting to be physically affectionate. When he looked over at his two sisters, he noticed they wouldn’t stop looking at Jii. Which, the more Kaito thought about it, he did resemble Zadkiel, but older and with less hair on his head. This whole situation was unlike anything that he had ever experienced. He was so glad to be alive. For his family to be alive. Shinichi grabbed his sleeve and looked down at him, their eyes met and they both smiled. 

“Let’s show the girls to your room and the guest room.” Shinichi prompted as he looked over at the girls, who were collecting their things from the trunk. “You need to put your doves away anyway.” He urged insinuating that letting Chikage deal with his family's assistant would be the best option. Kaito nodded, grabbing the girl’s belongings from them, before opening the front door all the way. The old man had left it open in his desperation to get to the group. 

The trio filed in, Kaito telling them where to go to get to their rooms as he closed the door behind them, successfully blocking out the conversation going on outside that was quickly making its way to the door. Haniel took the magician’s room, looking around in awe as she took hesitant steps inside the room. The small table by his bed had some plans on it that he picked up and tucked into his clothes. His bed was made, as per usual. The sliding door to his balcony was still securely locked. It still smelled like roses and chocolate, like Kaito himself. Shinichi may have taken a few deep breaths as Kaito packed some of his clothes into a backpack while Haniel unpacked her things in their place. After that, they went over to check on how Sariel was doing in the guest room. It was the same size as Kaito’s with a desk and bed, just as he had, but there was no table or bookcase. She was simply sitting in the bedroom, arms wrapped around her legs that were held close to her chest. Her simple pair of pants and shirt was old and beaten. Probably something she had salvaged from one of the games. Her sister had a sweater and a pair of pants on as well. Uriel had to close the door quietly after letting her know that she could use the bathroom if she needed it, which was down the hall. After everyone had settled into their rooms, including Chikage, who went straight to sleep after explaining the situation to Jii, Shinichi and Kaito were standing in the kitchen drinking coffee and tea while they debated on what to do.

“I went missing for five days.” Shinichi started as he placed his coffee cup down. “Ran, Haibara, even work is bound to have some issues with me not being around to contact. Plus my phone had been dead for a while.” He stated as he extracted his phone from his pocket. The screen was cracked from the various falls during their fight for their lives over the last week. He would need a new phone now. Sliding it back into his pocket once he saw the damage he looked up at the magician, who was sipping his tea, eyes trained intently on the detective's hand which had just tucked the phone away. The magician turned those violet pools to Shinichi’s own ocean eyes before he spoke, the smile never leaving his face. 

“I say we get you a new phone later tomorrow. Now we go back to the mansion.” Kaito prompted as he knew they wouldn't sleep once there since their nerves were on end, but cuddling was indeed in order. Shinichi mulled over the decision before he nodded. The busses weren’t running but he had a feeling that the angel didn’t need a bus anymore.

Once they finished their drinks Shinichi picked up his empty bento, holding it tightly to him as Kaito hugged his form tightly, the backpack he had packed was strapped tightly to his back. In the blink of an eye, they were at the Kudo mansion, standing in his kitchen by the entryway to the foyer to his home. The smell hit him before he saw anything. Old books, the leftover smell of the bento that Ran had cooked him, the smell of his own laundry detergent, the fireplace in the study still made the house smell like burning wood... All smells he had come to love so much and hadn’t known if he was ever going to smell again. As he pulled away from Kaito, he sighed. Kaito held onto his shoulders supporting him in case he was thrown off as he was the last time. When he didn’t fall over, the angel released him, watching as the detective placed the Bento on the counter of the kitchen. It was another silent moment before they both turned to the spacious house. 

“Ran~!” He called out into the silence. The silence that followed was hollow. In the next moment Kaito, who had been in front of him, was gone. It was only a few seconds before he finally appeared again and shook his head. Shinichi looked once more around the house. 

He expected her to come running around the corner. To be as panicked as Kaito KID’s assistant had been, but he remembered that she had a husband now. So when she didn’t answer back, he felt a bit empty inside knowing that no one had probably realized he was gone. He felt a hand on his shoulder then, pulling his attention back from the house to the magician next to him. The warm weight was comforting. It pulled from the detective as he leaned down to wrap his arms around his boyfriend. They hugged then, bodies melded together for comfort. Neither were sure what to say. They sat there in silence, listening to each other's breath. It was a while, but they both began to realize that they could finally slow down. They could finally walk through halls, sit down, look at shadows… and not worry about demons or corrupt angels. Now that they were back at the Kudo mansion, together and safe, they could finally stop running for a while.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Kaito said after a long time. His voice that was usually happy and slightly cocky was quiet, solemn. Shinichi nuzzled closer to him. The warm beat of Kaito’s heart was a melody that he wanted the pleasure of listening to for the rest of their lives. He wished that he never had to let go, but he knew full well that this position would soon become uncomfortable. 

“I’m glad we’re both okay,” Shinichi confessed before pulling away. His expression looked far away but shook it off to look at the angel, a smile pulling at his lips. “That entire trip was…” Shinichi didn’t know how to explain it. It had been otherworldly. Something entirely different altogether. Part of him wished it had never happened, but then shooed away the thoughts. This was what brought the two of them together. Kaito nodded then, a smile appearing broad on his face, hiding the clear wave of emotions that racked through him.

“Yeah. It was crazy.” Kaito said resting his forehead against Shinichi’s when the taller man leaned over the slightest bit. Shinichi let out a tired chuckle at that statement. He wished that the word crazy even began to describe the events that occurred over the last six days, but it was more than that. 

“More like impossible.” He confessed. Normally he would never use those words. But these circumstances completely defied the laws of nature as they knew it. Kaito also chuckled then and. It wasn’t much longer before they both separated and headed upstairs to unwind. They changed clothing, switching into sleepwear and out of their grimy clothes, both deciding to take showers again, not feeling fully clean after bathing once in the last six hours. 

They shared playful kisses in the shower making one another laugh and Kaito nearly fell. Shinichi felt Kaito nibble at his bottom lip every so often. It was a short while before they began washing each other. Even more, dirt ran down the drain that they thought they had removed when they washed each other’s hair. Kaito massaged Shinichi’s back as he washed it, moving his hand in circles as he went. The detective washed the angel’s back as well, pressing small circles into it as he went just as the magician had. After the two look-alikes were both clean, they dried and dressed. Then they laid in bed with the morning sun coming through the sheer curtains that Shinichi had hanging in his room. The shower had done a rather lovely job of relaxing them, but now every time they closed their eyes they were reminded of all the things that had happened inside the castle. Images of the sleuth’s flesh being torn from his arm and the feeling of falling followed Shinichi. And Kaito… He was plagued with seeing the love of his life dead, at his feet over and over again among other various times he’d seen the taller man get hurt. So they both stayed up, talking about what had happened. They both knew that these memories wouldn’t be so painful after some time, but for now, they had each other.

“Do you think you’ll use that castle anymore?” Shinichi asked as they lay tangled in one another’s embrace. Kaito stiffened at the question. Understandable after all. The man had just a horrible time there as Shinichi himself had. It took a long time before Kaito felt like he could answer. The detective of the west didn’t rush him. Instead, choosing to rub patterns into his back as they held one another.

“I think my mom will probably use it as a place for her shoots with your mom every once in a while. Maybe a few magic shows, but I don’t know if I would ever go back there.” He spoke quietly, stroking Shinichi’s hair while he explained himself. Shinichi merely hummed and they went back into silence for a short time after. 

The rest of that day was spent sleeping restlessly or talking about the events that occurred that week. Shinichi asked about what had put him to sleep, he had asked where Zadkiel’s body disappeared to, and he really wanted to know what happened to the rest of the Seraphim in the pond now that no one was there to take care of the castle. Of course, all of this was relative now considering there was no pandora, the Garden would self sustain as the angels merely took care of it to replenish the angelic powers that they used to an extent, and Zadkiel was put to rest. Shinichi had been disgruntled that the Angel was able to put him to sleep whenever he wanted, though the detective supposed those naps were better, considering they didn’t come with dreams. A lot of time during their conversations they both fell apart, trying not to but not succeeding. There were a lot of emotions laid in front of one another as they remembered what had happened. Holding each other seemed to be the only thing they could do for one another at the moment. Neither of them wanted to leave the house, too exhausted to even try. Eventually, around ten in the morning, they finally fell asleep. With all the words out, with nothing left to talk about, they both had a dreamless sleep. 

Waking up next to Kaito was still the best thing that he could ever experience. Every time, the angel shifted closer to him in his sleep, the man would use some part of his body as a pillow instead of the pillow they shared. The way that the Magician breathed in his sleep was very relaxing to Shinichi and looking at him now, he remembered the comment he had made when he first found out that the person in front of him was the moonlit thief. 

‘Catching you outside a heist just doesn’t seem fair.’ The words echoed inside him and he wondered when his feelings had changed yet again. He no longer yearned to put the man behind bars. Only wanted him here, in his arms, to show him that stupid goofy grin every day and surprise him with his high intelligence. Of course, he doubted that Kaito KID would continue his heists now that he had what he was looking for, but that didn’t mean that others would stop looking for him. Maybe that was why he wanted the magician in his arms so badly. So he could make sure he was safe. Although looking at the situation now, if anything, Shinichi himself would be the only one needing protection from now on. Kaito was basically indestructible, but if they found out his identity as KID then it wouldn’t matter, either way, he would still be put in jail or forced into hiding and separated from the detective. The thought made his hold on the thief tighten. No. He would make sure that Kaito KID disappeared and no one would ever find out. For his safety. For Kaito’s. The Black Organization would be easier to bring down now that he had knowledge that they didn’t have. A lot of knowledge they didn’t have. 

Shinichi was startled out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of wet lips sucking on his collarbone. The pleasure that shot through him made him pull back suddenly to look down at Kaito, who popped off of Shinichi, leaving a red mark in his wake and a mischievous smile on his face. Shinichi let out a breath to calm the feeling inside himself at the expression but didn’t pull away. 

“Good afternoon Mr. Kudo, how did you sleep?” Kaito asked in a serious yet playful tone. The detective rolled his eyes and rubbed Kaito’s hair.

“I sleep better when I’m left alone, but I guess I can’t expect much when it comes to perverted thieves.” He said with a smile of his own. Seeing Kaito laugh, he chuckled a bit as well, running his fingers through the magician’s hair in a sign of affection. The gentle attention calmed the magician of his laughter, the smile still apparent on his face.

“Hey I may be a bit pervy, but I’m not a thief. Anymore. Just a magician.” He spoke seriously. This made Shinichi look down at him, the sea blue orbs catching violet before they both smiled in silent agreement and kissed slowly. It would be nice, not having to work on heists, but just a show for people, much more fun and less stressful. Although Kaito could admit he would miss the adrenaline of the chase and the riddles. And as they separated to look one another in the eye, Kaito thought he may be able to find a new kind of excitement. “I have to go check on my sisters later today.” He insisted as he propped his head up to look over the sleuth. Shinichi sighed, looking down at his bed and then himself. He still felt tired, not nearly as bad as before, but he needed to get back on his schedule. 

“I need to go check in with work, Haibara, and text Ran. They probably left me tons of messages.” He said while glancing over at his phone, which sat on the charger. Kaito had his sitting next to Shinichi’s, plugged into a cord he had brought with him the night before. The magician sat up from the bed and grabbed his phone.

“Aoko probably panicked and came to the house looking for us, I hope Jii was able to cover for us until now.” He said while his phone turned on. Shinichi looked very amused. 

“Is that the girl that you fell in love with in a past life?” The detective prodded, making the angel blush. He was met with a grin when the angel turned around. His blush, clear as day.

“I mean… Yeah, but don’t get too jealous.” His tone went from embarrassed to a bit sad and dry. “She doesn't seem to like me very much in this life. I’d say it's a crush at best.” He spoke, his tone a bit confusing to Shinichi. It seemed sad but maybe he was remembering a bad memory of her? “She deserves better than to run after me like she does, but I don’t think she realizes her own feelings.” He explained and Shinichi understood now. That the girl was causing him unneeded stress now that he realized what she went through every time he was reborn. Shinichi swallowed whatever words were going to come out and he rubbed Kaito’s arm in reassurance. 

“She has free will Kaito. Sure she’ll be upset when she hears about us, but you’ve said before she doesn’t always end up with you. So in one scenario during those, she must have been happy not choosing you.” Shinichi explained and Kaito nodded. 

It wasn’t long after this that the two men got up from bed, sharing a few last-minute kisses before they got dressed and went about their business. Kaito was happy to report later on when he returned that Sariel and Haniel were doing okay today. Obviously not swell, but they found solace in one another and Chikage who had stayed behind for a few days to help acclimate the two angels to modern technology. She would soon move onto her newest set in Austria and wouldn’t be back for a few weeks. Kaito worried about her but she promised to video call every day before she went to work. She even taught the girls how to operate the computer to the point where they could call her phone if they needed anything. Shinichi on the other hand got both an earful and silence from Haibara who was both startled to see him in peak physical condition and happy to just see him alive. She had run many rigorous tests on him before he was allowed to leave. Only under the agreement that he would bring Kaito over some time. That had taken a few hours. By the time he had left the professor's house, the sun was already descending from the sky. Work was the next call that he made and Takagi cried when he heard Shinichi’s voice. The entire department had been worried but had no idea where to start because he kept so much to himself. He had promised to keep in touch with cases that didn’t involve the entire department from now on, just so things like this didn’t happen again. He was a bit happier when he hung up with Takagi. He’d had just enough time to call Ran, who came right over and was shocked when she saw how he was. He explained everything to her. Came clean about the Black Organization, told her about him being Conan, about Pandora, about the drug that changed him into Conan. Even about the castle and the angels. And at first, she could barely believe him. She looked at him silently the entire time he had been explaining and at one point even set her phone down on his coffee table so she wouldn’t drop it on the floor. She had debated calling someone to see if he needed help, but it had been at that moment that Kaito teleported into the Kudo mansion right next to Shinichi. It had been so startling for both the angel and Ran that she had passed out right on the Kudo’s couch in their sitting room. Shinichi watched with a sigh, standing as she dropped onto the couch and laid still. His hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose as Kaito whistled.

“Next time, why don’t you teleport to my bedroom and come down the stairs?” Shinichi asked seriously to the angel who was now checking on the poor girl. She woke up after a few moments, startled again by Shinichi’s look-alike, then looked over at the detective who was helping her into a sitting position.

“I didn’t realize you would invite her over,” Kaito whined as she finally sat up. He stood next to her as she collected herself, then went to sit over next to his lover. The poor girl had yet to say anything about the entire situation but when she finally did she was very quiet about it.

“I- Just how did you manage to keep all this to yourself for so long?” She finally said, tone unsure, looking Shinichi in the eyes. Her brown met his blue and he frowned.

“There are people who know, but only those who are already in deep with the organization. I didn’t want to tell you. I wanted to keep you safe.” He explained as Kaito took hold of Shinichi’s hand, who gladly took hold and laced their fingers together. When Ran saw the motion she paused for a moment and then smiled. 

“Thank you, Shinichi. For always keeping me safe. And thank you Kaito, for keeping Shinichi safe.” She spoke which took their breath away. When she turned her smile to them, her eyes closed, a serene smile indeed. “He really is an idiot sometimes. Always running into trouble.” She said and all of a sudden she was also crying. The two men, surprised, reached for her but she waved them away, wiping her tears from her face before they fell. “I’m so glad that you found someone who will love you for who you are, Shinichi.” She spoke finally and with a blush, Shinichi thanked her. The entire scene made Kaito’s heart swell. He was glad to see the two of them doing so well. Even during times like these. It wasn’t long after that that Ran left. Her husband wondering what they were having for dinner reminded her that she needed to stop at the store on the way home. With the sun setting, she waved them goodbye, the snow falling around them for the first time in Beika. When they looked up at the clouds Shinichi suddenly chuckled. Kaito looked up at him from their position on the stoop.

“Now every time I look at the sky I’m going to wonder what mood you’re in,” Shinichi spoke in a humored tone as they entered the house once more and he closed the door, shutting out the cold. Kaito barked a laugh at that comment, throwing his hands behind his head. 

“You know damn well that only works in Eden, but I love that the weather reminds you of me.” He stated in a carefree tone. It was odd for Shinichi to hear. He went from hearing panic and despair all week to this. It was… missed. 

The two men retreated to the study where Kaito sat down at the piano and ran his fingers up the keys. Shinichi raised his eyes to look at the walls of books that he and his father and mother collected over the years. Each book was its own memory. He pulled a Sherlock novel off the shelf and carried it over to the piano where Kaito had started to play a song that he didn’t recognize*, the notes were serene and beautiful, clearly, something that he played often. He had musical talent like Shinichi. It was still pleasant to listen to while he reread one of his favorite books. The smell of the books brought new memories with them now as he listened to the melody of the piano. The study of the castle was burned into the memories inside his head. The moment when Kaito’s coat had disappeared, when the bookcase fell, the demon’s screech… Every page turn reminded him of the demons. What had once brought him peace was now causing memories and emotions to surface in his mind. Ones that he didn’t like. It wasn’t very long until he had to snap his book shut softly. The sound halted Kaito in his tracks, fingers pausing on the keys to look at Shinichi. The older man sighed and stood from the stool, the book hanging loosely from his fingertips. He silently put the book back where he had retrieved it from before speaking.

“I think I may need to go take something. I have a headache.” He told the magician, who looked after him with a worried expression but didn’t follow him. He hated how Kaito himself felt fine other than some intrusive memories and the reminder of family that had just passed, but Shinichi had the displeasure of remembering his death. That would haunt anyone. Everything up until and after that point would haunt Shinichi and Kaito regretted taking his boyfriend to the castle that day. Even if it had resulted in them getting together in the end. Sure, he could manipulate the man’s memories into forgetting, but eventually, he would remember as Kaito’s memory was too intermixed to have him truly forget. Unless Kaito left, but he doubted Shinichi would want that. And he wanted to do whatever Shinichi wanted. He had just started to play the piano again, his mind wandering off and waiting for his love to return when something stopped him. He didn’t know what, just a feeling, but it was enough to halt his hands.

There was a sudden crash inside the mansion and Kaito immediately teleported to where the sound was coming from. Glass was still scattering before he had appeared beside Shinichi, who had dropped to the floor, panting. The magician bent down, collecting Shinichi into his arms who had been bent over himself and held him as he collected his breath. A curse came from under Shinichi’s breath and he felt the detective begin to shake. 

“I hate this,” Shinichi stated as he clutched onto Kaito’s shirt. He leaned his head against the chest he found there and closed his eyes. There was a moment before Shinichi continued where Kaito was unsure of what to say or do. “I’m imagining things I guess.” He confessed curtly and immediately Kaito surveyed the area. There was nothing around them except for broken glass and running water from the faucet. When he established that their surroundings were safe, he picked Shinichi up from the floor, noticing a bit of blood that dripped from his foot. 

“You cut your foot.” Kaito pointed out. Shinichi didn’t do much but shrug and continue to be carried. So Kaito sighed and gave a shake of his head before placing the detective on his counter and crouching down to look at his foot. 

The wound wasn’t bad. The only bit of glass poking out of his skin was around half the size of Kai’s finger. So when he pulled it out and pressed his lips against the detective’s foot, Shinichi was surprised to feel no more pain and the hole slowly closed up. It was the oddest feeling he had experience aside from having his soul sucked from his body. And this was just another moment that made him realize how different they truly were. How amazing the angel was. And here he was, kissing Shinichi’s foot. When the wound was gone, the angel pulled away with not even a drop of blood on his lips and looked up at Shinichi to see his reaction. Shinichi didn’t understand why, but the sight of him doing this for the detective just made him want to hug the other man. Before he could reach down, the angel stood up, sweeping his arm across the room and watching the glass and blood disappear from the floor. All that was left was a pile of glass in the garbage and blood that was running down the sink with the running water. When the magician reached into the cabinet to pull out a new glass the detective was honestly confused as to why he was being taken care of. When the pain pills and water were placed in his hands with a forehead kiss Shinichi couldn’t do much of anything but look at Kaito with a blank look as tears welled in his eyes. When they spilled over, Kaito pressed his forehead against the detectives. He never saw Shinichi cry like this. It was only when Shinichi drew away and the pills were tossed into Shinichi’s mouth, the water used and dispensed into the sink, that the sleuth spoke. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone so much.” He confessed while wiping his tears, which didn’t help much. He laughed then, the tears continuing to fall. “Dammit, why is this happening?” He said in frustration as he continued to fall apart. The tears falling more now as a sob shuddered through his body that he hadn’t been prepared for. “You are so frustrating sometimes.” He continued as he tried to keep his crying silent. The comment confused Kaito but was nonetheless pulled into a hug, causing more confusion. The only thing he could do is hold Shinichi as he cried silently. When he was done, Shinichi sniffled, pulling back and rubbing his arm on his shirt. 

“I’m not sure what’s going on.” Kaito began as he put his forehead to Shinichi’s. “But I want to know. If you’re okay with telling me.” He confessed as he looked the man in the eye. Shinichi looked at him for a minute before biting his lip and then nodding. 

“I think. I may be having, um,” Shinichi paused and looked away, Kaito took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze in reassurance. Shinichi looked back at him before continuing. “I think I’m having hallucinations.” He confessed as he looked up at the other male. “They started happening shortly after we got in the car but I didn’t want to mention it.” He told the magician. So that's why Shinichi had been so quiet in the car along with everyone else. Normally he filled in space during car rides with a conversion about the case. Kaito took hold of Shinichi’s head with both of his hands, his fingers cupping Shinichi’s face gently. Kaito looked at him with a loving smile. 

“If you would like, I can help,” Kaito explained, earning himself a confused expression from the detective. “I can rewire your brain. It won't work forever, because I’m here. Me being here will remind you of what happened eventually.” There was uncertainty in Shinichi’s eyes then. He didn’t like hypnotism. He didn’t believe in it. But after being put to sleep as if he were blinking the night sky away, he doubted Uriel, an archangel, would have any issues. And that thought kind of bothered him. The magician noticed this, smiling reassuringly, only a bit softer than before. “Only if you want. The memories coming back to you would probably be as if you were reexperiencing the trauma, so I would have to know immediately if you remember anything. ” Kaito explained to him carefully, the human in front of him thought for a moment before closing his eyes and shaking his head ‘no’ slowly. Therapy would be needed if he was going to recover fully, but if Kaito was willing to help him now then, he didn’t mind a more natural way of support. 

And so Kaito closed his own eyes and leaned forward to press their lips together. Taking on the burden of the young adults' bad memories was something that Kaito would do at any point, no matter how many times the detective said no. If he ever wanted this. Kaito would gladly give it to him. As they parted and the detective’s head was released, Shinichi opened his eyes. Kaito gave his boyfriend a bit of breathing room, but still staying within breathing distance. The moonlit grin was apparent on his face again. Shinichi wondered at that moment if he was trying to hide behind the mask of if that was indeed how the magician was feeling at that moment. His thoughts were perplexing to Shinichi. He wished that he could read the angel’s thoughts.

“You okay?” Shinichi asked curiously as he reached for the angel who was watching the detective intently. The magician nodded with a reassuring smile. “I know you’re probably just saying that, but I’m gonna let it slide this time.” His voice was teasing. Kaito grinned at the comment, chortling.

“That would be a first.” Kaito retorted trying to move past what Shinichi had just expressed to him. He knew that Shinichi’s memories would haunt him, but for now, they were happy and could spend this moment together. Despite these dark thoughts that Shinichi hated so much, he would respect Shinichi’s decision and try to remain as normal as possible until a time when Shinichi could sleep well at night and read his books in peace.

“Hey, you’ve got a lot to process right now. I’m sure you’ll talk to me about it eventually.” Shinichi said as he let go of the magician. “In the meantime, why don’t we go lay down for a while. My head still hurts.” He said with a grin. Kaito let out a breath that was supposed to be a laugh. Of course, he would want to cuddle. He was still Shinichi after all. The man who had discovered a new love for cuddles.

As they made their way to the second floor, messes cleaned and crisis averted, the two look-alikes headed to their bedroom to sleep the rest of the day away.

Kaito, surprisingly woke up late that night before Shinichi. His nightmares haunted him shortly after he woke up. The image of Shinichi, bloodied and laying on the counter. He tried sewing Shinichi up but somehow, in his dream, he didn’t remember the suture patterns needed to close the type of wound that Shinichi had. So Shinichi had bled to death before he was able to sew the wound shut. No matter how many times he tried to heal him, bring him back, all he could do was scream into his chest in the end and that was when he had woken up. Tear tracks stained in lines down his nose and onto the pillow as he opened his eyes. He looked over at Shinichi then, closing his eyes with a calming, quiet, breath when he realized the man was still across from him. A single hand came up and scrubbed the tears away. The image of Shinichi’s dead body lay behind his lids for a while. When he opened them again, he studied Shinichi’s calm features. Thankfully the man didn’t seem to be having any bad dreams that night. It may have been due to the help of Kaito, who had placed a sleep incantation on him shortly before they fell asleep. Unlike the use of his angelic ability before to put the detective straight to sleep, this one was simply used to help him sleep without having any dreams. This way at least, he could have some rest. 

As Kaito scooted closer to Shinichi and closed his eyes, Shinichi shifted as well, his hands wrapping around Kaito and pulling him in closer. It made the detective smile as he lay his head on the chest now underneath him. He always did love how warm the detective was. Thankfully he wasn’t a super furnace under their blankets. And as focused on the good things that happened during the last few days, he fell back to sleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me to myself after finishing the second to last chapter knowing damn well that I spent too much time on this:   
> (๑ ⁍̥̥̥᷅ ᴈ⁍̥̥̥᷅)人(⁌̥̥̥᷄ε ⁌̥̥̥᷄๑)ｰ


	18. Day Seven: Convalescence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading Our Escape! This story was a long time project from the time I hit middle school. It sat in my folders for a LONG time and I decided to finish it as a way to help cope with my own trauma. This story has had a lot of different influences throughout the entire thing. I thank every single person AGAIN for helping me with this. For those of you who left kudos and for those that just stopped by to see the story in its entirety. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment on how you enjoyed the story as it always helps to motivate me for a new creation! Enjoy!

Morning came quickly and went just as swiftly. Both men slept in later than usual as the days caught up with them slowly. When Shinichi opened his eyes, the morning light was shining in on his face. With a small wheezing groan, he turned his head away from it. For a short moment, he didn’t know where he was. His mind figgy with sleep, he remembered being home after a heartbeat. The relief that flooded his mind left him wondering if he should get up or if he wanted to simply lay in bed until his counterpart awoke. The thought was met with the throb of his lower regions, which he had been too exhausted to listen to these last few days. Now that he had time to decompress and catch up on sleep though, he was surprised by just how hard he was that morning. He hadn’t even really noticed it until he moved his body the slightest bit so he wasn't straining his neck. The throbbing was rhythmic and as long as Kaito’s hip bone was seated so perfectly over it, he wasn’t going to be getting rid of it anytime soon. 

He wasn’t sure what part of this entire situation woke the former thief up, but his heart jumped when he breathed in deeply and turned his head into Shinichi’s chest to block the light out with an offended whine. This made the taller brunette bite back a chuckle as he smiled broadly and lifted his hand to run it through Kaito’s hair. That was when the magician’s morning wood throbbed on Shinichi’s thigh. The feeling resonated inside the sleuth. The detective’s member throbbed in return and they both shuddered, neither of them moving, but simply enjoying the feeling of one another in the morning sun for a moment. It was only when Uriel moved to lean on his forearms that either of them made any more noise. A small gasp came from the detective, his eyes rolling closed, but not before he managed to glimpse the moonlit smirk from the younger man. 

“Good morning Shinichi.” Kaito’s voice was low, much like it usually was after sleep. Shinichi gave the magician a smirk of his own and exhaled a bit harder than before, enjoying the way that Kaito was dragging his body lightly over the cloth covering his hard-on. Kaito saw this as he settled down and put his forehead on the detectives. “How did you sleep?” He asked, much like the last time he had woken up and decided to try giving Shinichi a hickey. The detective met the younger man with calm, slightly aroused eyes. It made the magician’s member thicken and his eyes darken with arousal. They both let out quick breaths before Shinichi responded, a bit breathless from excitement.

“I slept well, considering I didn’t have any dreams last night,” Shinichi spoke as he met Kaito’s stare with his own. He pushed his hips up against angel’s, the wonderful friction earning him a kiss on the lips. They had both been waiting to see who would move first. Shinichi enjoyed the way that the magician devoured him with his lips, wanting to delve into every part of him. The feeling of their bodies melding together, the sun on their forms, the expensive sheets on Shinichi’s bed… they were so prominent at that moment. Kaito felt Shinichi thread his fingers through his messy locks, the touch gentle, affectionate. The way they kissed was slow and sweet, but slowly grew with anticipation each time they separated for breath and came back together. After a few minutes of kissing, the detective flipped them over and looked down at the magician after pulling away. He sat up in between Kaito’s legs, his pajama bottoms, stretching under the stress of his cock. Kaito looked up at him with mischievous eyes, his cheeks dusted with a small blush as he tried to catch his breath. Shinichi’s smirk turned into a predatory smile, his hands coming to lay on Kaito’s hips. “I don’t know if we’ll get much work done when you keep waking me up like this.” Shinichi’s voice was teasing, almost warning Kaito of what was to come. The magician grinned, reaching up and lacing his fingers together behind Shinichi’s neck, so he could pull the man closer to him so he could speak quietly into the man’s ear. 

“If you want to spend all day in bed, just say the word.” Kaito’s voice was a low purr in his boyfriend’s ear, the hot breath making Shinichi shudder. In return, Shinichi leaned farther down and took hold of the skin between the shorter man’s neck and shoulder. The shorter man made a pleasing sound under him, melting into the bed under them, dragging them both down slowly. “Shit, Shinichi…” He groaned out breathily as Shinichi rolled his tongue on the skin trapped in his mouth. When he released it, he looked up at his angel and was surprised when he saw the magician staring down at him with hazy eyes. It seemed he enjoyed getting hickeys. The smile that Shinichi gave his lover was a very confident one. 

“Not all day, but I’ll certainly take advantage of this moment while I can.” He spoke with a grin of his own, watching as Kaito closed his eyes and chuckled. It was then that Shinichi’s hold on the magician’s hips tightened and he bucked his hardened cock up into his lover’s ass. At the feeling, Kaito’s blush deepened. His eyes opened in surprise, meeting Shinichi’s curious ones. There was a fascination behind that curiosity. As if he had just opened a new toy. It made Kaito shiver. Was he that curious about Uriel? “Can I take you today?” The detective’s words were quiet while floating around the air. The angel, if possible, grew even redder. Of course, Shinichi wondered what it had been like to be on the giving end. Surely Kaito had switched positions with him in past lives. He wondered if Kaito was remembering any of those times as he slowly closed his eyes and leaned his head back, likely in thought. Shinichi waited for his answer, trying to ignore his throbbing member. His thumbs rubbed circled into the angel’s hips comfortingly before Kaito answered.

“Yes.” His answer was short, quiet and Shinichi almost hadn’t heard it, but when he processed the younger man’s answer, the detective shivered, excitement running under his skin. Kaito opened his eyes, a bit of embarrassment shone in them, always willing to show vulnerability in front of the one he loved. Their gazes met and they both moaned as Shinichi’s member throbbed against Kaito’s hole through their pants again. The magician put a hand on Shinishi’s forearm and took a breath in. “Just start slow, okay?” He prompted before laying his arm back down next to his head. Shinichi nodded, leaning down to capture the other man’s mouth once more. The circles on Kaito’s hips continued slowly as they shared more breath. It helped to ease the tension and their kisses continued for a while.

Shinichi took it upon himself to take the hem of Kaito’s shirt and help him pull it up his torso. The feel of the angel’s soft, supple skin underneath his fingertips made his fingers tingle with each touch. He carefully rubbed each fingertip over the short brunette’s nipples, listening to the small sound that Kaito made. Excitement shot through Shinichi at the other man’s reactions. When he slipped the shirt over Kaito’s head he made sure to give him a short kiss on the lips before tossing the article of clothing onto the floor and turning his attention to the magician’s collarbone. He gently bit them, leaving small red spots along each side as he teased the angel’s nipples. The sounds that he was eliciting were making his groin throb, but he ignored it so he could travel farther south on Kaito’s body to soothe the nipples that looked very red. At some point during the calm laving of his tongue around each bud, Kaito had placed his hand at the base of Shinichi’s head. A few fingers laced into the hair at the nape of his neck and he hummed at the gentle feeling. It erected a slightly louder, breathy whine from the angel below him and the detective had to pull away to collect himself. The energy was slowly starting to change around them. The more that Shinichi aroused Kaito, the more he felt a nice buzz in the air around them. With a smile, Shinichi leaned down once more and collected the magician’s lips with his own. The hand that had dropped when he parted from Kaito’s chest had returned to his hair then. Their moans intermixed as they throbbed against one another. When they parted, Shinichi stopped for a moment to meet Blue-Violet orbs. Both men looked like they were coming apart, slowly. Shinichi loved the way that Kaito’s hair looked even crazier than before. Probably due to him squirming under the detective during his ministrations. Now though, as they looked at one another, Shinichi couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He breathed out as he caught his breath. The angel blushed but didn’t look away. Their eyes roamed each other for another moment before Shinichi bent down again to kiss the love of his life. Their kiss was just as heated as before they had taken a break. Kaito couldn’t help the way his hips rose into the other man’s. The way that the detective of the west groaned was music to the magician’s ears. If he had to bottom that day, he would at least have fun teasing the detective as he usually did. Before they had even parted for air Shinichi had begun pulling at Kaito’s pants. It made the magician shudder in anticipation, pulling away and giving his boyfriend a loving grin in encouragement. Shinichi appreciated that Kaito was being so open with what he wanted. It was certainly the complete opposite from how Shinichi was when he bottomed.

With another quick kiss, Shinichi began his descent down Kaito’s body towards what he had wanted to pay attention to since they woke up. The fabric was pulled back, the magician’s member standing proudly in the morning air. The sight of it was enough to make Shinichi’s cock leak pre-cum. Closing his eyes with a shudder, Shinichi opened them before he placed a hand on the warm flesh and bent down to get into a good position for what Kaito only hoped would be the best blowjob of his life. The hot breath that Shinichi was leaving on his cock made pre-cum leak from the tip, which Shinichi swiped away with his thumb before he stroked the man’s erection and gave the tip a long lick with the flat of his tongue. The feeling made the member in his hand jerk, erecting a broken moan from above him. The taste of the magician was a bit bitter, much like the coffee that he drank each morning. He was surprised when he found the taste appealing despite all the information he had read stating that it didn’t taste all that great. Embarrassingly enough he found that his own cum tasted horrible, but Kaito’s was far different than his own had been. Bitter, but with a hint of sweetness, almost like the taste of lime, but with something he couldn’t put his finger on. Something that was Kaito. It made him hum in appreciation as he opened his mouth to take in more of the angel. Kaito, who had been enjoying the light stimulation as he tried to collect himself, gasped as Shinichi took his cock into his warm mouth. The vibration of the detective’s hum made him let out a shuddering moan as he caressed the hair on the head that was currently pleasing him. His heartbeat was loud in his ears, completely aware that he had to keep a hold of his angelic abilities until the very end. The way that Shinichi’s mouth was sliding down his flesh was one thing, but when his tongue began to massage the flesh back and forth on the way back up to his head… He had to give a tug on Shinichi’s hair as a warning. He was beginning to lose his grasp on it. He needed to wait until the end.

“Shin,” Kaito began as he tugged again at the head that was bobbing below him. Shinichi moved with the hand that pulled him off, panting as a bit of pre-cum dribbled down his lips. Kaito’s cock pulsed again and pre-cum overflowed the tip once again. Fuck… The detective was so fucking hot like that. The way his cheeks flushed, covered in a fine layer of sweat as he worked his partners’ flesh between them. “Damn…” He panted with a chuckle as Shinichi licked the drool running from his mouth. The detective simply looked at him with lust-filled eyes and wiped away what he couldn’t reach with his tongue, though that bit was still popped into his mouth which made Kaito groan. “You’re gonna make me cum before the fun starts.” Kaito breathed out as he let the man’s head so he could lay against the bed with a few lungfuls of air. Shinichi shivered, the thought of his angel lighting up for him with ecstasy without him doing anything for himself in return was a large temptation, but his cock throbbed then, painfully reminding him that his kinks would have to wait until a later day. The thought of cumming inside his lover was a large reason he retreated from the bed to walk over to his closet. The movement and lack of warmth pulled Kaito’s attention to the detective who was opening his closet to retrieve something. When he pulled out a small bottle of lubricant, Kaito gave him an amused look. He hadn’t seen that lubricant in a while. Thoughts of the detective using it to slick his cock during his morning routine to ‘let off steam’ floated into his mind, making his grin grow wider. When Shinichi saw the impish grin on the other man’s face he stopped, gave him a nonplussed look, and tossed the lubricant onto the bed without another word. Kaito though. He had lots of words.

“Unflavored huh?” Kaito spoke in winded words. The unamused noise he got from Shinichi as the man rifled through his closet again made Kaito pout. He wanted more of a reaction than that. “So what flavor do you prefer?” He asked in hopes that the detective would humor him. When he got no response but a casual ‘None’ from Shinichi he pouted. “Come on, lots of people prefer to taste something different when they eat their lover out.” He said as casually as if he had been talking about the Sunday paper. It made Shinichi drop a box out of his closet right onto the floor as he fumbled in embarrassment. It busted open, revealing handcuffs, a collar, a blindfold, and a few other promiscuous items that he really thought he had thrown out. When the items came to a halt on the floor both Kaito and Shinichi sat in silence, both staring at the items that Kaito hadn’t known the detective owned. Before Kaito could even open his mouth to say anything about them, Shinichi had swiped the blindfold off the floor and shoved everything back into the box with a deep red blush. Kaito’s grin was wolfish. “Shinichi…” He began and the detective knew full well where this was going. 

“I got them as a stupid gag gift from Heiji,” Shinichi explained as he shoved them back into the back of his closet where they had been before. “I just never threw them out… which- I guess this comes in handy, now.” He stated as he turned, the blindfold dark and sleek in his hand. Kaito shivered knowing full well that the blindfold was for the detective. How well it would work was a whole other matter, but he was glad that the man thought of it while he did. It had led to a whole other avenue of possibilities. His own member, which had calmed a bit, was now back to throbbing painfully again. Shinichi noticed this and rolled his eyes, hoping that the other man would behave himself long enough for them to continue. When no one said anything more, the two men relaxed again on the bed, the blindfold being placed on the nightstand next to them. “Lay down,” Shinichi spoke quietly. The tone made Kaito hot. His tone was deep, eyes dark as they realized there was no going back.

Kaito complied with Shinichi’s request, laying back on the pillow behind him. He watched as Shinichi crawled up his torso and gave him one more sensual kiss as he picked the lubricant up. Kaito was tense when Shinichi’s fingers first decided to prod the space between Kaito’s cheeks. Shinichi seemed to notice, rubbing the angel’s hip with his remaining hand much like the magician had done for him the last time that they’d had sex. Kaito smiled against the detective’s lips then, wondering just how the man knew every part of his body language so well as he tried to take a few calming breaths. The hand that was rubbing his hips then, came up to stroke his member, giving little twists at the head and making him break the kiss with a breath moan of the detective’s name. The fingers circling his hole gently sunk in, one at a time. They twisted and prodded inside him, opening him up carefully while they kissed. Kaito’s head was in the clouds. He couldn’t imagine this kind of feeling with anyone else. There was a buzzing at the base of his skull. One that was synched with the heat in his stomach, lingering, asking, gripping for more. A third finger was added to the two already inside him and he felt another wave of pleasure crash through him. He wondered briefly if he would last long enough for Shinichi to cum before the detective was scissoring and twisting his fingers again. The hand on his cock was stroking slowly, sensually in tandem with his digits. Kaito was losing his mind. 

“Shinichi…” He spoke the other man’s name in desperation as he looked up at the detective who had separated for air. When Shinichi looked down at him, he was surprised to find a completely ravaged looking magician under him. The man’s eyes were half-lidded, mouth slightly open trying to catch his breath, and yet the playfulness in his eyes didn’t change. It was still there. Begging, teasing. “More,” Was all Kaito could say as he pulled at Shinichi’s own pajama pants that still had to be removed. The single word made Shinichi grow hotter. His cock wept inside his trousers, waiting to be released. It was only then that Shinichi removed his fingers and hand from his lover causing Kaito to gasp in surprise. Kaito yelped a second later as Shinichi lifted one of his legs into the air, pants having been torn off in haste and lubricant stroked onto his cock. The way that their groins looked together, Shinichi laying against Kaito’s entrance, took the taller man’s breath away. It was only after he began prodding against the flesh there that he even fully registered the fact that he was about to thoroughly fuck this angel below him. If that wasn’t enough of a confidence boost, he didn’t know what was. So with one more look up at his lover, who honestly looked embarrassed by their current position, Shinichi filed that human reaction away for later, he pushed forward and felt the muscles around the head of his cock shudder before giving way and he slowly sank into heat so constricting he almost came as soon as the head was in. The hand on Kaito’s thigh, holding him in place, tightened, feeling Kaito’s leg quiver as his hole was stretched. Kaito’s entire body quivered, the feelings overcoming his body were like tasting fine wine after years of being sober. It was as if he were smelling his favorite food after years of slow starvation. Familiarity. It took his breath away. It brought back memories of the first time they had come together like this. When he had been under Father’s rule. Sacrifice. To know he would be whole with this person. And as Shinichi sank into him inch by inch, the magician felt his heart beating in his entire body. The air around them stirring with his energy, mixing around them as if trying to meld them together. The feeling was something he had missed. Shinichi was looking down at him, watching the magician’s closed eyes fluttering under their lids. The angel’s hands quivered, one having clutched the pillow next to his head. He briefly wondered if the magician was in pain before he stopped moving, having sunk halfway into the flesh underneath him. Taking a breath in, Kaito tried to settle himself again. He couldn’t get carried away before they even had the time to start. It had been so long since he had felt like this. It was tempting to become swept away. Much more so than when he and Shinichi had coupled a few days before. His hole quivered around Shinichi as the man lifted the magician’s other leg. The change in position eased some of the pressure on Kaito’s hole. When Kaito opened his eyes, the dull glow in them let Shinichi he was riding a very fine line of control. The thought of Kaito being this lost to pleasure at the detective’s hands made Shinichi throb inside the magician. Both men let out breathy moans, tempted to look away, but keeping contact as Shinichi held still. The way Kaito was staring at him as if welcoming him home, was foreign to Shinichi and caused a blush to cover his entire face. The look was incredibly personal. Intimate. He committed it to his new file tucked away inside his head for later. He would collect more of Kaito’s expressions to reminisce on later. First…

“Are you okay?” Shinichi breathed out, wanting to wait for his lover to become comfortable before he continued. Kaito’s expression changed then. In the next blink, a smile spread over his face, eyes still clouded with pleasure, but more coherent than before. As if the mere words that Shinichi spoke had woken him from a trance.

“Yeah.” He breathed out the word in a laugh and then groaned when his hole swallowed more of his lover. Shinichi gasped at the sensation but kept his hips steady. Kaito let out an even breath, coming more back to himself. “I just wasn’t expecting this to feel so…” He shifted his hips and Shinichi slid his hands from Kaito’s legs to his hips, holding him steady with a grunt. “Familiar.” He finally finished his sentence before pushing down on the cock inside him. It slipped another inch inside and Shinichi looked up at him in surprised pleasure. Kaito laid his head back against the pillow with a pleased moan before he continued breathily. “It doesn’t hurt Shin. Please.” He pleaded while hooking his ankles together around the sleuth’s head. The action pulled the detective closer yet, causing him to bend over slightly. The way that Kaito caught his eyes next was hungry. “The blindfold.” He reminded the detective, who had almost forgotten about it watched as the light flowed into Kaito’s eyes once more. He shivered, grabbing the blindfold and slipping it onto his face, slightly uncomfortable with how he couldn’t see Kaito anymore, but relieved at knowing he would have another layer to cover his eyes this time. As he slipped the material over his face Kaito took it upon himself to pull Shinichi closer with his legs, watching the man yelp in surprise before they both moaned. Shinichi had lost his balance in surprise and sank the rest of the way into his lover. The shock of pleasure that went through both men was both surprising and pleasing. Shinichi’s brows came together as he shivered, trying his best to keep his composure as his member was massaged by the muscles surrounding it. Having one of his senses taken away was heightening his other senses much as he had thought it would. He sat there panting for a few moments before he leaned back against the magician’s legs to speak to the man in front of him. 

“Give me a second.” The detective spoke in a gasping voice as he gripped the hips below him for desperate purchase. He had never felt something so good around him before. So slick, hot, even better than he had imagined. It took a few moments before he was able to huff out a breathy ‘okay’ before his hips withdrew. He heard Kaito let out an even breathier keen as he pulled out. The stroke back into Kaito was even better than the first, but Shinichi was able to compose himself enough so that he could lean down the rest of the way, quite literally folding the very flexible former thief in half so that they could kiss once more. Shinichi was thankful for this specific ability of the magicians and hoped that it never disappeared. 

Kaito was glad that Shinichi couldn’t see him right now because he was falling apart at the seams. Short of letting his angelic energy run rampant. The way that Shinichi had him folded over, kissing him repeatedly, and thrust into him with a steady pace was making him lose his sense. The way his cock brushed his chest whenever he was thrust into was driving him crazy. As Shinichi stopped for a breath so that he could break their kiss and reposition themselves, Kaito was surprised when he shifted closer and returned to his lips. He had expected to be moved. But when Shinichi re-entered him, his eyes shot open and both of his hands flew to Shinichi's back. The head of the sleuth's member was rubbing deliciously against Kaito's prostate with every thrust. He wasn't going to last much longer like this. His voice wasn't even doing what he wanted it to. No matter how much he tried to keep in his cries of pleasure, they were pounded out of him by Shinichi's hips and met with the detective's own low moans. Soon they weren't even able to kiss properly as they were breathing too roughly. The two were climbing higher and high to their end. 

"Shinichi…" Kaito moaned out the detective's name, voice thin, as he felt himself losing what semblance of control he had left. The sleuth understood very well by the way the muscles around him were getting tighter as they continued. He wanted Kaito to cum before him, even if it meant having blind spots for a few hours again. 

"Cum for me, Uriel…" Shinichi breathed against his ear hotly. Kaito stiffened then, choking on a whine and he was pushing his lover's face into the pillow beside his head as he came undone. 

The way that Shinichi's body was enveloped in heat and pleasure sent him spiraling over the edge of his orgasm. His body stiffened as well, releasing his seed into the angel who was still shining with endless light even under all the layers. He felt the feathers of what he assumed to be Kaito's wings brush against his shoulder and jaw and he groaned loudly into the mattress as he pulsed inside his lover again. The transformation didn't last but another breath before it was released and Kaito was back to being his human self again, gasping underneath Shinichi. The detective enjoyed that, way more than the first time. And from the feeling of semen on his stomach and the way Kaito melted into the mattress after, he could tell the magician did too. Even after picking his face up and tearing the blindfold off, Shinichi was pleasantly surprised to find that he had no spots of exposure, likely from the many layers separating his cornea from the blinding light. The sight of Kaito, underneath him, completely limp under the adult, made his spent member throb one last time. The feeling made Kaito whine in overstimulation. Noticing this feeling himself, Shinichi pulled out of the angel, releasing the angel's cramped legs. Shinichi stared for a moment, enjoying how his cum dripped from the gaping hole he left there. It was only another breath before he got up from his spot and went to the bathroom to get a warm, wet washcloth to wash them both down with. Kaito was still recovering when he returned. Violet orbs met ocean blue as Shinichi crawled back onto the bed. 

"That really wiped you out," Shinichi said in a breathless tone. He knew they were both tired, but the detective noticed that the angel took longer to recover this time than the last. It wasn't obvious as the younger man was already sitting up, his usual grin back in place, but Shinichi knew. Kaito blushed as he felt Shinichi begin to clean his rear end with the cloth gently. He shivered before responding. 

"I-" Kaito was cut off when Shinichi gently brushed the cloth over his raw hole. "I'm more sensitive… ah…" Shinichi had passed the cloth over his flaccid cock. The detective muttered an apology. “...to your energy this way." Kaito managed to finish as the detective slowly wiped up his chest and ended his journey with a kiss to the magician’s lips. This kiss was far more gentle than before. The way that Shinichi’s lingered, gently on top of the angel’s caressing the skin he found there as if breathing life of his own into him. Kaito breathed out against those lips, feeling them as if his nerve endings were on fire. Shinichi slowly pressed their lips together, breathing in the scent of sex and everything that was Kaito. The towel was gripped in his hand until they separated, where it was tossed into the laundry bin by the door to his bathroom. Kaito’s eyes fluttered open just as he had released the cloth, watching it fly through the air before he settled his blue-violet orbs on the taller an above him. As he watched Shinichi settle back onto their bed, he felt as if things were finally complete for once. Neither of them had to worry about running from monsters or fighting for food. They didn’t have to wonder if anyone would walk in on them. It was peaceful. A far different type of peace than the angel and human had experienced before in Eden. This was the kind of peace you experienced when you were alone with the one you loved. He snuggled into Shinichi’s side then, feeling the detective wrap an arm around his shoulders before turning onto his side and wrapping both arms around the magician. There was a content sigh above Kaito and he couldn’t help the smile that crawled onto his face. “Thank you, Shinichi, for being with me,” Kaito said into the other man’s chest. In retaliation, Shinichi ran a hand down Kaito’s back and then back up, settling it in between his shoulder blades. Kaito knew that Shinichi had no clue he was touching the base of where his wings should be, but it still made Kaito’s heart swell nonetheless. They lay there for a few more minutes before Shinichi’s phone went off. The man had almost fallen asleep again but grumbled as he picked the phone up from his bedside and looked at it. Kaito would have asked who it was, but from the disgruntled look on his face, he assumed it was Haibara. That girl seemed to be the only thing that could throw his mood off, besides a murder.

“The woman is so nosy.” Shinichi huffed out as he typed away on his phone. Kaito simply affectionately nosed the man’s clavicle. The attention seemed to inquire silently, letting the detective know that he was there if he needed to talk. Shinichi paused in his message to gently kiss the top of the angel’s head, making the other man’s heart nearly explode. “It seems she saw the light from earlier and was wondering what happened since there was no explosion afterward.” He explained and Kaito grinned with a humored chuckle. His head pulled away from the detective’s arms for a few seconds so he could look at the detective mischievously.

“You should tell her.” He teased while Shinichi balked at the idea. With the phone clasped in his hand, he sat upon his elbows above Kaito, who rolled onto his back to keep his eyes trained on the man above him. He looked slightly offended now. 

“Absolutely not. This is our personal lives. Not her science experiment.” Shinichi countered, looking down at the magician incredulously. The laugh that Kaito let out was music to his ears. He loved hearing that laugh. Even if it was taunting him at that moment.  
Before Kaito calmed down, Shinichi straightened on the bed, finishing his text quickly before turning to look at his soulmate, who was watching him keenly. His eyes screamed for him to tell Kaito what he had sent to the little scientist. Of course, he would want to know. “I told her that you turned on all the lights at the same time as a prank to wake me up.” And that earned Shinichi another one of the fits of laughter that he loved so much. He couldn’t help the way he gravitated towards the angel then, so he could capture those lips with a silencing hand to the magician’s cheek. He wanted to remember those lips for the rest of his life. 

Later that day after Shinichi had replaced his smartphone with a new one, he went to check in with the police department. They were surprised by his sudden change in health. Most of the people in his department wondered if he had been going through intense therapy the entire time he was off work. Shinichi wondered if they would believe him, had he told them the truth. An angel saved his life, pulled him from purgatory, and returned the health to his body. It made him chuckle. They would probably laugh and ask what caused him to be in such a good mood. That he never joked. As he checked in with his boss, he wondered if even his father would believe the things he had seen. It wasn’t as if Kaito could go around proving to everyone that he was indeed an angel. 

It wasn’t until lunchtime that the dark thoughts came to his mind again. He sat down at the table, the bento that Kaito had made him was sitting in front of him. And as he reached for his coffee, happily ready to dig into his meal, the images of the candies flew into his mind, releasing a flood of other images. The hand that was just a mere centimeters away from his mug was quivering then. He cleared his throat, closing his eyes and holding his hand under the table then for a minute. A few people walked by, not noticing his unusual behavior. It was amazing how people overlooked the most obvious things. Shaking hands, shortness of breath, dizziness. Shinichi would ignore them as well, but only because he needed to continue with his day. If he stopped now, he may well break down before the end of the day. Focus on work. He still had cases to file away. He would eat and then head to the casefiles room to file away some he hadn’t done before he had gone to the castle. 

Kaito on the other hand was confiding in his sister, Sariel, who seemed to be opening up more. The girl was already so sensitive as it was. As an angel of healing, she was someone who empathized and connected with people on another level. Zadkiel was more than just a father for her but a fountain of wisdom and knowledge. A beacon of hope for her. The entire time she had been trapped in the castle, she had been taught many things by Zadkiel. From things that maids did to things that neither of them had ever thought they would need to do, like lying to their siblings to keep humans safe. With him gone, it was as if a giant part of her life had disappeared with him. Kaito would continue to show her the way forward as long as she wanted the support. He was also having a hard time with such a large change in his life. He talked to her about memories that he had discovered each day, asked lots of questions about their family, and the two soon became very close. Haniel on the other hand was finding out that there was a whole new world of people out there. She was enrolled in school, easily excelling in her classes and becoming very popular. She decided it was time for a change and cut most of her hair off so it was a bouncy mess around her face instead of her shoulders. Sariel had been shocked to see her the next morning she came out of the bathroom, hair a slight mess and needed a touch-up. Chikage had introduced them both to the hairdresser that she frequented at that point. Sariel’s fiery locks needed to be trimmed as well anyway. 

Shinichi tried to explain what happened at the castle to his parents. It took months of him explaining what happened before he finally had to invite them home for an introduction to his boyfriend. Both parents knew who he was the moment they saw him. Yusaku and Yukiko were both smitten but shocked to find out that he was indeed an angel. Kaito had to remind Shinichi that the thought of their son being connected to an ethereal being on an unearthly level would probably be something that his parents didn’t believe for a while, if ever, but he would surely try and keep in mind that they were indeed Shinichi’s parents and would probably deal with this better than he thought. He was still surprised beyond words when Yukiko hugged him tightly and welcomed him to the family as if everything was normal. No wondering if their son was okay, no asking question. It was… odd. Foreign to him, but Shinichi just smiled, knowing that his parents trusted him more than any other person in the world. So when his parents left that evening and they were able to curl up together while Shinichi read a book, they both distracted themselves with thought.

When Kuroba Chikage called Shinichi Kudo, he was to investigate the disappearances at the Kuroba's summer home, expected it to be a normal murder case. He expected someone to confine themselves to a small portion of the castle. To pick off the construction workers one by one. What he did not expect was three angels of the castle to welcome them upon arrival. To bow gracefully and welcome them with smiles on their faces. Over the last seven days, so many things happened to Shinichi and Kaito. Unbelievable events that no one in the situation could explain to the police. They couldn't speak of it to anyone besides close family. They were surprised when their family believed them. Shinichi had expected to be cast aside as someone who had lost his mind. Instead, he was welcomed home with open arms. He may have a few flashbacks and night terrors, but Kaito was helping him through it all. The one thing that Shinichi could be thankful for, was the way this entire experience had brought the Magician and Detective together in a way that nothing else ever would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me throwing in some last-minute Kaito booty at the end like (‿!‿) ԅ(≖‿≖ԅ)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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